UNC Reinstates Suspended Professor Following ACLU Letter

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has reinstated Professor Dwayne Dixon, effective immediately. Professor Dixon was previously placed on administrative leave after an outside activist made allegations about Dixon’s political associations.

UNC’s decision to place Professor Dixon on administrative leave was based on attacks by third-party social media commentators, allegations that were ultimately discredited. Professor Dixon was not given the opportunity to respond to the allegations before the leave was reinstated. The leave also included a number of unconstitutional restrictions on Professor Dixon’s speech, such as prohibiting him from communicating with UNC students and staff, both past and present, without permission from a university dean.

On Thursday, the ACLU of North Carolina sent a letter to the university explaining that Professor Dixon’s suspension violated the First Amendment and demanding that he be reinstated without conditions. The letter added to the chorus of voices demanding Professor Dixon’s reinstatement, including a petition with over 900 signatures and a rally on campus in support of Dixon and in defense of free speech.

Friday, UNC released a statement saying: “We have found no basis to conclude that he poses a threat to University students, staff, and faculty, or has engaged in conduct that violates University policy."

“This is a victory for free speech, protest, and collective action, all of which are at the heart of what the First Amendment protects,” said Ivy Johnson, staff attorney for the ACLU of North Carolina. “Public universities should not be in the business of policing their employees’ personal speech and political affiliations. Professor Dixon’s administrative leave was a blatant First Amendment violation, and we are gratified that UNC ultimately came to the right decision.”

You can read the ACLU of North Carolina's letter here and the university’s statement here.

###