In a new victory for free speech, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) has reached a settlement with Maggie DeJong, a conservative Christian art student who asserted that the institution had curbed her constitutional right to express her beliefs and exhibited bias based on her political stance. The understanding was brokered by the conservative legal organization, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
The settlement necessitates obligatory training around the principles of free speech for three professors at SIUE, aimed at protecting freedom of expression in the context of higher education, Fox reported. Significant revisions to the SIUE student guidebook and policy changes have been directed to encourage a more inclusive environment within the art therapy program that embraces multiple political, religious, and ideological perspectives. The university has also agreed to an $80,000 settlement to finalize the lawsuit.
