Boise State University administrators have been directed to compensate Big City Coffee owner Sarah Fendley with $4 million following a unanimous jury ruling that found the school officials had violated her First Amendment rights. The decision, reached on September 13, awarded Fendley $3 million for lost business, reputational damage, mental and emotional distress, and personal humiliation. Additionally, the jury granted her an extra $1 million in punitive damages from the university's former vice president of student affairs.
Fendley's legal action stemmed from the closure of her campus shop in October 2020, where she contended that administrators conspired against her due to her public support of law enforcement on social media. The lawsuit, initially seeking $10 million, alleged retaliation against her for expressing pro-police views.
Big City Coffee's on-campus location opened in September 2020 amidst nationwide protests for police reform following George Floyd's tragic death in Minneapolis. Fendley's display of a thin blue line sticker near the shop's downtown Boise site sparked controversy among student activists, with one student urging peers not to support the establishment if they truly backed their BIPOC peers.
After a social media post triggered a 'firestorm,' university administrators held a meeting with Fendley, during which concerns were raised about the impact of her views. Fendley claimed her contract was terminated due to her support for law enforcement, a move her lawyer argued infringed on her free speech rights.
Despite the university's denial of retaliation, the jury sided with Fendley after deliberating for about three hours. Boise State's attorney contended that Fendley was attempting to suppress speech by seeking disciplinary action against students with differing views, while maintaining that administrators remained impartial throughout the conflict.
Following the verdict, reports indicate that the university plans to appeal the decision to the Idaho Supreme Court. The case underscores the complexities of balancing free speech rights and differing viewpoints within academic settings.
