The U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider the constitutionality of college bias response teams on Monday.
Despite the opinions of Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, the Court refused to take up a lawsuit against Indiana University filed by Speech First, a group defending students’ First Amendment rights.
The group has challenged bias response teams, which collect anonymous reports and can lead to disciplinary actions. Speech First argued that such teams silence speech, violating the First Amendment.
Justices Thomas and Alito dissented, highlighting the legal split over students’ rights to challenge these programs. Patel also criticized the Court’s refusal to intervene, noting it left students with inconsistent First Amendment protections across different states.