MAKE THEM PAY: 8th Circuit Again Finds University Of Iowa Administrators Personally Liable For Deregistering Christian Student Group That Required Leaders To Affirm ‘Basic Biblical Truths Of Christianity.’ “What the University did here was clearly unconstitutional. It targeted religious groups for differential treatment under the Human Rights Policy—while carving out exemptions and ignoring other violative groups with missions they presumably supported. The University and individual defendants turned a blind eye to decades of First Amendment jurisprudence or they proceeded full speed ahead knowing they were violating the law. Either way, qualified immunity provides no safe haven.”
I’m in favor of limiting or removing qualified immunity for police. But there’s no justification whatsoever for providing qualified immunity for university administrators, who never have to make split-second decisions, and who have counsel available at all times.