The Institute for Free Speech, which represented Bakersfield College Prof. Daymon Johnson, reports:
Johnson has secured a settlement that makes his First Amendment protections permanent—and includes a $150,000 payment for attorneys' fees.
Kern Community College District has agreed to settle Johnson v. Fliger, a federal lawsuit brought by the Institute for Free Speech on behalf of Professor Johnson. Under the settlement, the preliminary injunction that a federal court entered in February 2026 will be converted into a permanent injunction for a period of five years, barring officials from investigating, disciplining, or terminating Johnson based on his speech in the classroom, in his scholarship, or as a private citizen….
Specifically, the case challenged California regulations requiring community college faculty to "employ teaching, learning, and professional practices that reflect DEIA and anti-racist principles" and to demonstrate "proficiency in DEIA-related performance to teach, work, or lead within California community colleges." Professor Johnson, a member of the dissident faculty organization the Renegade Institute for Liberty (RIFL), refused to support the government-mandated views and faced the threat of termination as a result.
Here's the excerpt I posted in February from the Johnson v. Fliger decision by Judge Kirk Sherriff (E.D. Cal.):
