Stewart v. Walz: When a Professor’s Speech Becomes Grounds for Termination

In this episode of Unwritten Law, hosts Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione sit down with NCLA Litigation Counsel Jenin Younes to unpack her recent oral argument in Stewart v. Walz.

The case challenges a Minnesota college’s decision to fire a professor who refused to comply with COVID-19 mandates—and openly explained his objections to students.

The conversation explores how pandemic-era policies collided with the First Amendment, why the district court dismissed the case, and what the outcome could mean for academic freedom, free speech, and constitutional governance nationwide.