The court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Speech First, an organization that advocates for the First Amendment rights of students, which contested Indiana University’s implementation of bias response teams. These teams, which solicit anonymous reports of bias, have the authority to impose disciplinary actions on students. Speech First contended that these teams infringe upon free speech rights as protected by the First Amendment.
Justices Thomas and Alito expressed dissent, stressing that the Court ought to confront this matter, given that numerous educational institutions have established bias response teams. They cautioned that students’ capacity to contest these policies is influenced by their location, resulting in a “patchwork” of rights. Speech First aimed for the Indiana case to clarify the legal issue, pointing out that universities utilize these teams to discourage contentious speech without implementing outright prohibitions.