DEFENDING EDUCATION---TWO IN ONE WEEK---SPEECH ISSUES, COMPELLED SPEECH, VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION, & MUCH MORE

In addition to the recent Croton Harmon ruling--being described in assorted circles as "seismic and landmark" (see here)--- Defending Education had another significant free speech event in California.......many thanks to local parents for the heads-up.

VIA GOOGLE AI--The parental rights advocacy group Defending Education (Parents Defending Education) achieved a significant legal victory against the University of California (UC) on September 18, 2026.

 
The College Fix---A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking the university system from forcing students to use their peers' preferred pronouns.

Key Details of the Ruling--The Policy Challenged: Defending Education filed the lawsuit challenging provisions within the UC system's Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH) policy. Under the original policy, the intentional or repeated use of a name or pronoun inconsistent with an individual's gender identity could be classified and punished as sexual harassment.

The Court's Finding: Judge Slaughter ruled that the university's policy likely constitutes unconstitutional compelled speech and viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment. The judge noted that the group's position is heavily supported by existing case law.

The Impact: The preliminary injunction bars the UC system from enforcing these specific pronoun and deadnaming rules against Defending Education members while the case moves toward a final ruling. However, the court kept other provisions intact, noting university leaders can still step in to prevent the targeted abuse of transgender students.

The organization celebrated the ruling as a major protection for student free speech across all UC campuses. You can read more about the filing on the Defending Education Legal Case Page or track updates via the Duke University Campus Speech Database.