A jury this week sided with Collin College in a lawsuit brought by a former professor who said the school violated his civil rights.
History professor Michael Phillips鈥� lawsuit, filed more than a year ago, followed Collin College鈥檚 failure to renew his annual contract that ended in May of 2022. Phillips said he was fired, in part, because of the school鈥檚 dislike of his left-leaning politics.
He鈥檇 been quoted in news stories that local Civil War monuments should be removed. Collin College chastised him for identifying himself as a history professor there, alleging people might interpret his views as being the school鈥檚 official view.
Phillips also publicly criticized the school鈥檚 approach to COVID-19, saying the school wasn鈥檛 cautious enough as the potentially deadly disease spread. A Collin College instructor died of COVID-19.
When the school didn鈥檛 renew his contract, Phillips sued, alleging retaliation and an unconstitutional denial of his academic and free speech rights.
Collin College denied all accusations. It said repeatedly before and during the trial that 鈥渢here is no right or reasonable expectation of continued employment beyond the term of the contract.鈥�
After last week鈥檚 trial, a jury agreed with the school. In a statement, Collin College said that despite 鈥渞epeated attacks by the plaintiff, his supporters, and various advocacy groups with their own agendas, this case resulted in a legal victory, including affirmation that the college鈥檚 policies are not unconstitutionally vague as alleged.鈥�
Phillips offered no comment.
His attorney, Greg Greubel, with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, (FIRE) expressed deep disappointment with the trial鈥檚 outcome and 鈥渋ncredible pride鈥� representing Phillips.
鈥淔IRE will continue to fight for the expressive rights of faculty across the country鈥� the organization said in a statement. 鈥淔IRE stands ready and willing to take a case to trial in defense of First Amendment rights.鈥�
Phillips is the third instructor to sue Collin College in recent years after their contracts weren鈥檛 renewed. The two others settled out of court.
