Professor Settles Land Acknowledgment Case | Spokane News

A UW professor is set to receive $600K in a landmark settlement after the university disciplined him for including a parody land acknowledgment in his syllabus — a move the federal appeals court ruled violated his First Amendment rights. The parody questioned historical land ownership claims using property labor theory, sparking disciplinary action despite the university’s own standard acknowledgment. Professor Stuart Reges, backed by free speech advocates, hopes this case sets a precedent for universities to protect speech even amid sensitive cultural debates. Though the school denies fault and says it acted appropriately, it revised its anti-harassment policy during the legal battle — and Reges remains on faculty, teaching as usual. The ruling reverses an earlier district court dismissal, affirming that universities must respect free expression, especially as campus speech debates intensify nationwide. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/197669dbea53d35e