After spending nearly a year living in professional limbo, former Millsaps College professor James Bowley was terminated from his tenured position in early September. But the saga that began on Nov. 6, 2024, after Bowley’s remarks in the wake of the presidential election, continues.
Bowley, who taught religious studies, had emailed his class of three students telling them their class had been canceled, “to mourn and process this racist fascist country” after Republican Donald Trump won a second, non-consecutive term as president. The very next day, Bowley was placed on paid administrative leave while the college reviewed his use of an institutional email account “to share personal opinions” with students.
Throughout the tumultuous grievance and appeals process in the months that followed, Bowley has maintained he does not regret his actions. A faculty grievance committee recommended Bowley be restored, but the college administration and ultimately the board of trustees overruled its decision.
Now, he’s taking Millsaps to court.
In his lawsuit filed Sept. 26 in Hinds County Circuit Court, Bowley alleges the college violated its contractual obligations and promises by punishing him for his speech.
For a tenured professor to be dismissed from employment, Millsaps’ faculty handbook requires documented evidence of “neglect, indifference, incompetence, professional or personal misconduct” that “substantially” impairs the faculty member’s fulfilment of their institutional responsibilities. In its initial decision to dismiss Bowley, the college claimed he was improperly grading assignments, that attendance was being incorrectly logged and that he was neglecting and routinely canceling one of his classes.
Bowley’s lawsuit says the college fabricated those charges against him after already having made the decision to fire him for his email.
“What they have done to me is censorship. There’s no other way to define it,” Bowley said in an interview with Mississippi Today. “Once they get away with censorship of one person, then everybody else either protests or self censors.”
A representative for Millsaps confirmed in a statement that the college was aware of the lawsuit. “We believe the facts of this matter will speak clearly during the court process ahead,” said Joey Lee, who is Millsaps’ director of communications and community engagement.
Bowley’s termination and subsequent lawsuit come amid a nationwide battle over academic freedom, with a spate of faculty firings in universities such as the University of Mississippi, the University of South Dakota, Clemson University and Texas A&M University. There has been pushback by civil liberties organizations such as the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the ACLU, some of which have also mounted legal challenges to these firings on First Amendment grounds.
“We are concerned that universities and colleges continue limiting the ability of professors to comment on important matters of public concern,” said Joshua Tom on behalf of the ACLU of Mississippi, clarifying that the organization was not commenting specifically on Bowley’s dismissal. “It is important especially in higher education for professors and students to be able to talk about and debate topics from different viewpoints. Firing people results in a shutdown of that opportunity and a worse academy.”
In the days since his termination, Bowley says, he has witnessed an outpouring of support, both from Millsaps alumni and other community groups, but still longs for justice from the courts.
“I just do not want to be that person who bows down,” Bowley told Mississippi Today. “Freedom of speech, academic freedom – those principles, those ideas, are super important to me, and I’m willing to spend money and put time in to defend them.”
Hence then, the article about this is censorship former millsaps professor files lawsuit following unprecedented termination was published today ( ) and is available on Mississippi Today ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘This is censorship’: Former Millsaps professor files lawsuit following ‘unprecedented’ termination )
Also on site :
- How Assad’s Top Henchmen Fled Syria and Justice
- BOJ’s most hawkish member calls for rate hike amid price risks
- Ukrainian soldiers busted over torture spree – police