A federal magistrate judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former University of Scranton professor who was fired for refusing to reveal if he had received a COVID-19 vaccine.
According to reports, Benjamin Bishop filed suit in November, alleging the university violated his constitutional rights when it fired him in May 2022 for violating its COVID-19 policy. The suit sought damages on seven counts, including violation of his First Amendment right to free speech and due process. According to the lawsuit, Bishop had received the vaccine, but he refused to reveal his status because he did not believe the university had the right to compel him to provide the information. In her ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick noted private entities cannot be sued for violating a person’s constitutional rights except in limited circumstances.