Jerry Edwards
@jerryedwards.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Law at West Virginia University College of Law. Formerly an ACLUFL Attorney. I enjoy writing about free expression, academic freedom, and American history.
All opinions are my own, not my employer's, and are correct, probably.
All opinions are my own, not my employer's, and are correct, probably.
Pinned
Jerry Edwards
@jerryedwards.bsky.social
· Aug 15
I am excited to announce that my article, Academic Freedom's Inflection Point, will be published in the Boston College Law Review in 2026. The SSRN link is below. I plan to make revisions to address feedback & new developments (ex. a terrible govt speech opinion). Comments are welcome & appreciated!
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Yes it’s Valentine’s Day. But it’s also the chosen birthday of Frederick Douglass who was born in 1818 on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland. He escaped from slavery & rose to become the most eloquent and forceful voice for the abolition of slavery & for Black voting rights in the U.S.
February 14, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Yes it’s Valentine’s Day. But it’s also the chosen birthday of Frederick Douglass who was born in 1818 on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland. He escaped from slavery & rose to become the most eloquent and forceful voice for the abolition of slavery & for Black voting rights in the U.S.
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
In 1854, after watching the federal government deploy 2000 federal troops and spend $40,000 sending Anthony Burns back into slavery, Boston's Amos Adams Lawrence said “we went to bed one night old-fashioned, conservative, Compromise Union Whigs and waked up stark mad Abolitionists.”
Yesterday morning kids were sent running from their bus stop in panic because ICE showed up. This guy at today’s ICE Out of Lindenwold protest is a must watch 😭. @maddow.bsky.social
February 14, 2026 at 5:07 PM
In 1854, after watching the federal government deploy 2000 federal troops and spend $40,000 sending Anthony Burns back into slavery, Boston's Amos Adams Lawrence said “we went to bed one night old-fashioned, conservative, Compromise Union Whigs and waked up stark mad Abolitionists.”
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Happy birthday to one of the greatest, Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, he didn't know his actual birthday, but chose to celebrate it on this day.
Please read his books and essays; please teach your children his story when they are old enough to understand.
Please read his books and essays; please teach your children his story when they are old enough to understand.
February 14, 2026 at 3:23 PM
Happy birthday to one of the greatest, Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, he didn't know his actual birthday, but chose to celebrate it on this day.
Please read his books and essays; please teach your children his story when they are old enough to understand.
Please read his books and essays; please teach your children his story when they are old enough to understand.
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
February 13, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Calling the requirement for a judicial warrant before entering a person’s home one of the Democrats’ “new restrictions on federal immigration agents” crosses the line into outright falsehood. It’s in the Bill of Rights! A rule as old as the republic.
February 14, 2026 at 4:29 AM
Calling the requirement for a judicial warrant before entering a person’s home one of the Democrats’ “new restrictions on federal immigration agents” crosses the line into outright falsehood. It’s in the Bill of Rights! A rule as old as the republic.
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
This is a genuinely huge, sweeping victory today for the University of California—or rather, for us, its faculty, acting through our faculty associations, while the UC itself maintained a strict policy of deer-in-headlights silence.
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
Trump administration drops appeal of court order blocking $1.2-billion UCLA settlement
The Trump administration dropped its appeal of a major higher education case in which a federal judge blocked its $1.2-billion settlement proposal to UCLA over alleged civil rights violations. It will...
www.latimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:57 AM
This is a genuinely huge, sweeping victory today for the University of California—or rather, for us, its faculty, acting through our faculty associations, while the UC itself maintained a strict policy of deer-in-headlights silence.
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
related to the view among the professional commentariat that only students at ivys and boutique liberal arts colleges actually matter
This elitist view that only rich/Ivy/private school kids should study/have access the liberal arts is so deeply ingrained in so many highly educated Democrats’ views (including tons who majored in the lib arts themselves) that they don’t even realize they hold it, let alone how ugly & elitist it is
(3) But the Democrat view is also bad: while it's fine for people at Princeton and Harvard to study Latin and Sanskrit, public higher education is about job training and $ ROI. There is no room for the idea that curiosity-driven inquiry is a good that should be supported by the public.
February 13, 2026 at 8:03 PM
related to the view among the professional commentariat that only students at ivys and boutique liberal arts colleges actually matter
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Omg, this is beyond psychotic. The level of dehumanizing hatred you must feel towards someone to do this to children is jaw-dropping.
This is the sort of stuff that requires truth and reconciliation tribunals—there’s no crime here, but it demands public accountability.
This is the sort of stuff that requires truth and reconciliation tribunals—there’s no crime here, but it demands public accountability.
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
February 13, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Omg, this is beyond psychotic. The level of dehumanizing hatred you must feel towards someone to do this to children is jaw-dropping.
This is the sort of stuff that requires truth and reconciliation tribunals—there’s no crime here, but it demands public accountability.
This is the sort of stuff that requires truth and reconciliation tribunals—there’s no crime here, but it demands public accountability.
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
And the dismantling of public health and emergency preparedness continues.
This shouldn’t be a partisan thing. In fact, a lot our biodefense infrastructure really began post-9/11 under GW Bush …
This shouldn’t be a partisan thing. In fact, a lot our biodefense infrastructure really began post-9/11 under GW Bush …
Such treachery. Doesn’t our govt understand pandemic threats? Our vulnerability to zoonotic flu, next SARS-3 coronavirus; arboviruses and tick borne illness from climate change here on the Gulf Coast; bioweapons from our enemies: Russia, DPRK, Iran, what’s going on?
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Exclusive: Key US infectious-diseases centre to drop pandemic preparation
Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website.
www.nature.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:12 AM
And the dismantling of public health and emergency preparedness continues.
This shouldn’t be a partisan thing. In fact, a lot our biodefense infrastructure really began post-9/11 under GW Bush …
This shouldn’t be a partisan thing. In fact, a lot our biodefense infrastructure really began post-9/11 under GW Bush …
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
I'm old enough to remember when LAST YEAR, Republicans in Congress were mad at the Biden administration for allegedly pressuring social media companies to censor accounts based on the views expressed. What's changed?
It's almost as if their entire jawboning argument was insincere.
It's almost as if their entire jawboning argument was insincere.
February 13, 2026 at 11:29 PM
I'm old enough to remember when LAST YEAR, Republicans in Congress were mad at the Biden administration for allegedly pressuring social media companies to censor accounts based on the views expressed. What's changed?
It's almost as if their entire jawboning argument was insincere.
It's almost as if their entire jawboning argument was insincere.
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
A dire situation, but don't worry:
"[Corrections Dept. Director] Farris is hoping AI can help the Corrections Department better match cellmates. 'When we do that, that is going to be a game changer,' Farris said. "We're going to be first in the country to do it."
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/c...
"[Corrections Dept. Director] Farris is hoping AI can help the Corrections Department better match cellmates. 'When we do that, that is going to be a game changer,' Farris said. "We're going to be first in the country to do it."
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/c...
On the rolling plains of Oklahoma, a deadly prison. 4 years, 21 homicides
"It's like gladiator academy," DA says. At Oklahoma's Allen Gamble Correctional Center, a medium security prison, inmate homicides are rampant, many preventable, investigation reveals.
www.oklahoman.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:44 PM
A dire situation, but don't worry:
"[Corrections Dept. Director] Farris is hoping AI can help the Corrections Department better match cellmates. 'When we do that, that is going to be a game changer,' Farris said. "We're going to be first in the country to do it."
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/c...
"[Corrections Dept. Director] Farris is hoping AI can help the Corrections Department better match cellmates. 'When we do that, that is going to be a game changer,' Farris said. "We're going to be first in the country to do it."
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/c...
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Professor Michael Smith @msmith750.bsky.social presented his article “Relativity and Constitutional Time” at the University of Arkansas School of Law (Fayetteville) as part of the junior faculty exchange between @uofoklahomalaw.bsky.social ahomalaw.bsky.social and Arkansas Law.
February 13, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Professor Michael Smith @msmith750.bsky.social presented his article “Relativity and Constitutional Time” at the University of Arkansas School of Law (Fayetteville) as part of the junior faculty exchange between @uofoklahomalaw.bsky.social ahomalaw.bsky.social and Arkansas Law.
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
This will likely get lost in the shuffle of the submission season, so highlighting it for people to put on their calendars now: app.scholasticahq.com/conversation...
Montana Symposium! Criminal Procedure, with room for state con law! June 30 deadline!
Montana Symposium! Criminal Procedure, with room for state con law! June 30 deadline!
Scholastica: Montana Law Review Call for Submissions - Volume 88.1
Montana Law Review Call for Submissions - Volume 88.1
app.scholasticahq.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:53 PM
This will likely get lost in the shuffle of the submission season, so highlighting it for people to put on their calendars now: app.scholasticahq.com/conversation...
Montana Symposium! Criminal Procedure, with room for state con law! June 30 deadline!
Montana Symposium! Criminal Procedure, with room for state con law! June 30 deadline!
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Important thread from a voting rights expert (and VP for Democracy at the Brennan Center)
1. In an unusual press briefing today in AZ, Sec. Kristi Noem made the extraordinary (but vaguely delivered) claim that as head of DHS, she has authorities over elections, including to make sure that “the right people are voting and electing the right leaders to lead this country.” That is false.
February 13, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Important thread from a voting rights expert (and VP for Democracy at the Brennan Center)
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
The Trump DOJ's efforts to distinguish rather than seek the overruling of Wong Kim Ark in the birthright citizenship case should fail for many reasons, including that its reading of WKA would implicate all the same concerns as overruling. @ggkrishnamoomoo.bsky.social has details on the blog. 👇
Will Trump v. Barbara End Stare Decisis?
Recall at issue in Trump v. Barbara is President Trump’s Executive Order that purports to deny citizenship to children born in the United...
www.dorfonlaw.org
February 11, 2026 at 3:12 PM
The Trump DOJ's efforts to distinguish rather than seek the overruling of Wong Kim Ark in the birthright citizenship case should fail for many reasons, including that its reading of WKA would implicate all the same concerns as overruling. @ggkrishnamoomoo.bsky.social has details on the blog. 👇
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
TL;DR: If the gov't wants to distinguish WKA to avoid the disruption of overruling WKA, it must do more than show we're wrong to read WKA the way we did. It must show that we in fact did not read WKA that way at all. Short of mass hypnosis, idk how that’s possible.
Thanks to @dorfonlaw.bsky.social!
Thanks to @dorfonlaw.bsky.social!
The Trump DOJ's efforts to distinguish rather than seek the overruling of Wong Kim Ark in the birthright citizenship case should fail for many reasons, including that its reading of WKA would implicate all the same concerns as overruling. @ggkrishnamoomoo.bsky.social has details on the blog. 👇
Will Trump v. Barbara End Stare Decisis?
Recall at issue in Trump v. Barbara is President Trump’s Executive Order that purports to deny citizenship to children born in the United...
www.dorfonlaw.org
February 11, 2026 at 5:11 PM
TL;DR: If the gov't wants to distinguish WKA to avoid the disruption of overruling WKA, it must do more than show we're wrong to read WKA the way we did. It must show that we in fact did not read WKA that way at all. Short of mass hypnosis, idk how that’s possible.
Thanks to @dorfonlaw.bsky.social!
Thanks to @dorfonlaw.bsky.social!
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Corporate wants you to find the difference
February 13, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Corporate wants you to find the difference
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
New Foreword up on SSRN, previewing new projects on the history of constitutional history and what it can teach about legal frameworks at the heart of our "constitutional crisis"-federal Indian law, territorial law, expansion, immigration, and executive power. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
February 13, 2026 at 3:10 PM
New Foreword up on SSRN, previewing new projects on the history of constitutional history and what it can teach about legal frameworks at the heart of our "constitutional crisis"-federal Indian law, territorial law, expansion, immigration, and executive power. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
the fact that these people are bigoted little freaks manages to be relevant in literally every conversation that they have about any topic, regardless of how serious or innocuous, and it's a sign of deep moral rot that they have a widely watched television program and are not shunned
Current state of things: One Fox News host casually declares that Epstein’s money comes from “Jewish billionaires” and a “Jewish banking family,” another responds that he was a “sex rabbi.” www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/jes...
February 13, 2026 at 1:42 PM
the fact that these people are bigoted little freaks manages to be relevant in literally every conversation that they have about any topic, regardless of how serious or innocuous, and it's a sign of deep moral rot that they have a widely watched television program and are not shunned
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
there's fierce competition, but this is one of the most stomach-turning things I've read in some time
Exclusive: White House uses USAID funds for budget director Vought's security, documents show
The White House budget office is using millions of dollars from the former U.S. foreign aid agency to pay for the security detail of Russell Vought, President Donald Trump's budget chief and an archit...
www.reuters.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:01 PM
there's fierce competition, but this is one of the most stomach-turning things I've read in some time
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
“abolition of gender studies is a way of further guaranteeing impunity to the elite men whose contempt for and exploitation of women and girls apparently knew no bounds, whether they actually slept with the women on offer or simply shared Epstein’s fantasies in order to gain influence or funding”
Opinion | Gender studies courses are shutting down across the US. The Epstein files reveal why — Guardian US
Texas A&M University is the latest school to end women’s and gender studies programs and teaching race. We know why
apple.news
February 13, 2026 at 12:53 PM
“abolition of gender studies is a way of further guaranteeing impunity to the elite men whose contempt for and exploitation of women and girls apparently knew no bounds, whether they actually slept with the women on offer or simply shared Epstein’s fantasies in order to gain influence or funding”
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Immigrant justice is reproductive justice
Pregnant immigrants in Minnesota have been postponing their abortions, skipping aftercare, and delaying birth control visits and urgent cancer screening follow-ups to avoid coming in contact with federal immigration agents.
Pregnant patients in Minnesota have postponed abortion appointments to avoid ICE
Planned Parenthood’s no-show rate has gone up almost 10 percent since the federal government’s Minnesota operation began.
19thnews.org
February 13, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Immigrant justice is reproductive justice
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
With all the fear mongering and the destruction of the refugee program it is worth reading some stories about how it used to work
After Resettlement | Caroline Moorehead
How has a group of Liberian refugees, resettled in the US nearly twenty-five years ago after fleeing civil war, fared in a country that has changed vastly since admitting them?
www.nybooks.com
February 13, 2026 at 5:49 AM
With all the fear mongering and the destruction of the refugee program it is worth reading some stories about how it used to work
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
Hey, read this. lpeproject.org/blog/whistli...
February 12, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Hey, read this. lpeproject.org/blog/whistli...
Reposted by Jerry Edwards
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court's opinion in 2017 held that RCV couldn't be used for general elections for state offices because of constitutional provisions requiring the person "having the largest number of votes" to win. It was an utterly atextual and ahistorical opinion. They should reverse it.
There's a chance that Maine's next governor could be elected with well short of a majority of the vote, especially with two sitting legislators running as independents. But things could change if Democrats succeed in their drive to have ranked-choice voting cover general elections for state offices.
Morning Digest: How Maine Democrats plan to implement ranked-choice voting for governor this fall
The state Supreme Court stands in their way, but they're hoping for some help from ... Alaska
www.the-downballot.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:14 PM
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court's opinion in 2017 held that RCV couldn't be used for general elections for state offices because of constitutional provisions requiring the person "having the largest number of votes" to win. It was an utterly atextual and ahistorical opinion. They should reverse it.