Ball State University Employee Wins $225,000 Settlement in First Amendment Lawsuit
A former employee of Ball State University has received a settlement of $225,000 after the ACLU of Indiana resolved a First Amendment lawsuit against the university's president, Geoffrey Mearns. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Suzanne Swierc, who was terminated from her position as the director of health promotion and advocacy after making a private social media post about the death of Charlie Kirk. The ACLU argued that Swierc was speaking as a private citizen on a matter of public concern and that her termination violated her First Amendment rights. The settlement reflects the acknowledgment that government institutions cannot retaliate against employees for protected speech made in a private capacity on a public issue. Swierc will receive the settlement amount following the completion of the agreement last week.