Appeals court sends UK professor’s case back to lower court

A federal appeals court is sending a University of Kentucky law professor’s case to restore his teaching duties back to a lower court. 

A panel of judges on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the U.S. Eastern District Court of Kentucky should reconsider Ramsi Woodcock’s case where he is seeking to regain his teaching duties after UK removed him from them following his criticism of Israel and support of Palestine, including circulating an online petition calling for military action against Israel. 

Last summer, UK President Eli Capilouto shared a public message that did not name Woodcock directly, but indicated the university was aware of the petition and called his views “if accurately attributed … repugnant.”

The appeals court said that UK placed him on administrative leave and started an investigation, but Woodcock argued “that the district court erred because the University’s investigation is not an ongoing state proceeding for purposes of abstention.” 

“The appeals court made clear today that if the University of Kentucky uses an investigation, suspension, and ban to retaliate against a professor for speech that the University dislikes, the professor has a right to challenge the retaliation in federal court on First Amendment grounds,” Woodcock said in a statement. “Like every American scholar, I have a constitutionally protected right to not like Israel and I look forward to vindicating that right in federal court.”

UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said the university is “disappointed in the Sixth Circuit’s ruling.”

“We are considering next steps,” he added. “We look forward to litigating the preliminary injunction.”

Woodcock has a similar case pending in state court and another case challenging the appointment of College of Law Dean Judge Gregory VanTatenhove. 

Read the appeals court decision