First Amendment

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi sent a letter to university employees that disruptive speech may be grounds for discipline or termination. It comes as institutions and businesses fire workers who share their thoughts about the killing of Charlie Kirk.

A federal judge ruled Friday that University of Missouri System President Mun Choi violated students' freedom of speech when he barred the group Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine from taking part in the Homecoming parade. The judge ruled Choi excluded the group because of its views on Israel and Palestine.

The email from University of Missouri System President Mun Choi says that “speech that causes significant disruption can be a basis for discipline or termination, even when it occurs off-duty." It comes as more colleges take action to control faculty discourse over Charlie Kirk's death.

A federal lawsuit argues the University of Missouri violated the First Amendment rights of Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine when it denied their applications for Homecoming parade. The school wouldn't allow "stop the genocide" banners and Palestinian flags, but did permit "Make America Great Again" and Israeli flags.

If adopted, the policy would restrict permits for amplified sound during the week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Permits would also only be issued for stationary activities, to prevent disruption caused by marches. But a lawyer says the policy is "overbroad" and can't be justified.

Kris Kobach has filed a federal lawsuit against the Education Department's revised Title IX rules, which ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination will be entitled to a response from their school and can seek action from the federal government.

The lawsuit claims that the Marion mayor, police chief and other local officials violated the First Amendment freedom of the press, the Fourth Amendment prohibition on warrantless searches, and federal and state laws that protect journalists and their sources from police raids.

After seizing records and devices from the Marion County Record offices, then-Police Chief Gideon Cody allegedly had a “pizza party” with the county sheriff to debrief him. Cody initiated the unprecedented August newspaper raid under the pretense that a reporter committed identity theft by accessing public records.

The Marion County Record search warrant signed by Kansas magistrate Laura Viar appeared to violate federal law protecting journalists from police raids. The Kansas Commission on Judicial Conduct did issue Viars "informal advice" to research appropriate federal and state laws before approving warrants.

Documents show that multiple Kansas officials offered unquestioning support of the Marion County Police before their unlawful raid of a newspaper, and then attempted to sidestep the international outrage that followed.

Marion, Kansas, Police Chief Gideon Cody — formerly a member of the Kansas City Police Department — resigned after an earlier suspension. A reporter for the Marion County Record has also resigned, saying she no longer feels comfortable in the community.

Marion Mayor Dave Mayfield in a text said he suspended Chief Gideon Cody on Thursday. He declined to discuss his decision further and did not say whether Cody was still being paid.