A federal judge has ordered Texas State University to continue paying philosophy professor Idris Robinson for at least another year, striking down the school's termination of his contract over a speech he delivered in North Carolina about Palestine.
Trump-appointed District Judge Alan Albright ruled this week that the university violated Robinson's First Amendment rights by firing him in connection with a 2024 talk he gave in another state. The decision came just days before the professor's paycheck was set to stop on May 31, which would have left him without income or academic affiliation while raising a 16-month-old son.
"It's the right decision," Robinson said in an interview following the ruling. "I didn't do anything wrong. I do my job and I do it well."
The case centers on Robinson's hour-long talk at a North Carolina event on Israel and Palestine. A fight broke out during the event, though Robinson did not finish delivering his remarks. The university later terminated his contract, and Robinson alleges that the speech was the motivating factor despite him never mentioning his employment at Texas State during the talk.
In his written decision, Judge Albright noted that "the state put Dr. Robinson's career in grave danger by violating his First Amendment rights." During Tuesday's hearing, the judge also highlighted that Texas State "really hasn't made an effort to argue that the speech that the plaintiff gave wasn't in some role or another a motivating factor" in the termination decision.
Robinson had received stellar performance reviews for four years prior to the incident. His attorney, Samantha Harris, said the judge's decision demonstrates "a substantial likelihood of success" for Robinson's First Amendment retaliation claim. Zach Greenberg, director of Faculty Legal Defense at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, called the ruling "a shot across the bow for many universities who have violated free speech rights" and said it "bodes well for academic freedom."
The professor has recently published a book titled "The Revolt Eclipses Whatever the World Has to Offer" while fighting the university's actions. His academic work centers on societies in conflict and revolution, and he has pointed out that others in academia have faced similar disciplinary action for speech on various subjects.
Robinson said he hopes the judge's decision sets a precedent for other academics facing discipline. "I hope it helps other academics who have been facing disciplinary actions to fight on. Even in a state like Texas, you can win," he said.
The experience has had measurable effects on his scholarship. In chapters about Israel and Palestine that he wrote for his new book after Texas State began its disciplinary proceedings, Robinson noted in an affidavit that he "deliberately avoided using the words Israel or Palestine" and instead referred vaguely to "the holy land" to avoid further scrutiny.
Robinson, a Black, leftist philosopher, has experienced online harassment since his case became public, including racist threats. He has characterized the broader pattern of speech restrictions in academia as part of what he calls a third "Red Scare," comparable to anti-communist campaigns in earlier periods. "Repression around speech is part of the new Red Scare," he said, adding that his identity makes him a particular target.
Despite the stress of recent months, Robinson said he plans to focus on his philosophical work, including an upcoming book on Ludwig Wittgenstein. The lawsuit against the university is expected to continue.
Author James Rodriguez: "This ruling matters because it signals that universities can't quietly sideline academics for their speech, even in conservative states. Robinson's willingness to fight back, rather than accept the termination, may have just given cover to other professors sitting in the same precarious position."
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