Marcus Thorne is a legal affairs correspondent who covers constitutional law, civil liberties, and their impact on public institutions, with a special focus on the American education system.
20 published articles
Everett Public Schools in Washington is facing a federal lawsuit alleging it violated students' First Amendment rights by forcing them to hide Bibles.
The ACLU of Utah, alongside authors and students, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state's book removal law, HB29, calling it unconstitutional censorship.
Texas A&M University will not reinstate a lecturer fired over teaching gender identity, despite a faculty panel deeming the dismissal unjustified. The lecturer plans legal action.
A federal judge has allowed a Tufts University student to resume her studies after she was detained and had her visa revoked over a pro-Palestinian op-ed.
The University of Oklahoma has been commended by free speech leaders for its handling of a dispute involving a psychology student who claims she received a zero for citing religious beliefs in an essa
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the Loudoun County School Board, alleging its gender identity policy violates the constitutional rights of students.
A new report gives four major Alabama universities low grades for their campus free speech environments, with the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa scoring lowest.
A new poll reveals 91% of college students believe “words can be violence,” with many feeling less safe expressing controversial views after a political assassination.
A University of Oklahoma instructor is on leave after giving a zero grade to a student whose essay on gender cited the Bible and was deemed unresponsive to the assignment.
A federal appeals court ruled against an Ohio school district's pronoun policies, stating they violate students' First Amendment free speech rights.
A federal judge has denied University of Missouri System President Mun Choi's request to dismiss a lawsuit from a student group alleging First Amendment violations.
California's Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that finds the University of California's ban on hiring undocumented students discriminatory, forcing a policy reevaluation.
A federal judge ruled against a New Britain teacher placed on administrative leave for refusing to remove a small crucifix from her classroom workspace.
A Wisconsin appeals court has dismissed a defamation suit against a parent, ruling that calling a school employee 'woke' is protected opinion, not a statement of fact.
A former instructor is suing the University of Alabama, claiming she was fired over a personal Facebook post, which she argues is a violation of her First Amendment rights.
A Colorado high school senior has won her fight to display a Christian-themed design on her parking space after the school district reversed its policy.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reinstate over $1 billion in mental health funding for schools, reversing cuts made under an anti-DEI executive order.
Two Louisiana Christian schools have filed a federal lawsuit to block a new state law, arguing it unfairly requires private pre-K programs to get daycare licenses.
Arizona Superintendent Tom Horne is pushing to revise teacher standards, warning that DEI-related language could jeopardize $866 million in federal funding.
Columbia University navigates complex First Amendment challenges, securing a $200 million federal deal after threats to funding. The agreement enforces policies against antisemitism and harassment, sp
