Illinois Supreme Court Ends Professor Klocek’s Free Speech Case at DePaul

The Illinois Supreme Court recently decided not to hear the appeal of former DePaul University professor Thomas Klocek, who has been fighting for justice ever since he lost his job simply for arguing with students. Here is what Greg said about DePaul University back in 2006:

Professor Klocek lost his job at DePaul University in Chicago without any due process after he argued with several students about issues in the Middle East at a student activities fair. ... Klocek's case was FIRE's first major clash with DePaul, but it would not be our last. As loyal Torch readers know, we have since battled with DePaul over its attempt to punish students who protested and mocked the decision to invite Ward Churchill to speak at the school and its later charges against students for holding an "affirmative action bake sale" protest. After FIRE intervened, the university backed down in both of these cases, but not before I had the chance to call the university a "basket case" on Hannity and Colmes. I stand by that characterization of DePaul. I mean, how many times can a single university baldly ignore free speech and due process in one year? Readers should let DePaul know their opinions about the university's treatment of Tom Klocek and its shoddy record of defending basic rights for dissenters.

Given FIRE's latest clash with DePaul over its refusal to recognize an activist student group, I see no reason to stop saying that DePaul University is a basket case when it comes to freedom of expression.