September 24, 2025
Back to all stories

West Point Law Professor Sues Over Speech Rules

Tim Bakken, a law professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, has filed a lawsuit alleging the academy is violating the First Amendment by restricting professors’ classroom speech and requiring prior approval for public commentary. PBS NewsHour interviewed Bakken about the complaint, which challenges academy policies that he says bar expressing opinions in class and demand institutional sign-off for outside remarks.

Legal Education Military

📰 Sources (1)

Law professor sues West Point over rules he says curb free speech
PBS News by Dan Sagalyn September 24, 2025
New information:
  • Plaintiff: Tim Bakken, law professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
  • Defendant/subject: U.S. Military Academy at West Point — policy restricting professors’ expression and requiring approval to speak publicly
  • Allegation: suit claims First Amendment violations by banning opinion expression in class and mandating prior approval for public speaking