Auburn University: Administration āConsidering Optionsā Over Lecturerās Anti-Police Social Media Posts
Cases
Auburn University
Case Overview
In July 2020, Auburn University lecturer Jesse Goldberg tweeted in response to a video of plainclothes police officers detaining a protester using an unmarked van: āThis is kidnapping. Fuck every single cop.ā Goldbergās social media commentary regarding the abolition of police drew criticism from Donald Trump, Jr., and calls for Goldbergās termination by Alabama state legislator Rep. Brett Easterbrook. Auburn told media outlets it was āconsidering optionsā concerning Goldberg. FIREwrote to Auburn on August 3, explaining that Goldbergās extramural remarks were protected by the First Amendment, state law, and university policy. Auburn responded to ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app¹Ł·½, pledging that it would not infringe on Goldbergās First Amendment rights.