Democracy at Risk: The Public Employee Freedom of Speech Crisis

The article argues that the Pickering/Connick/Garcetti line of cases defining the First Amendment freedom of speech rights of public employees provides them little protection when they engage in organizational dissent. The article explains that the U.S. Supreme Court has embraced a managerial approach to the freedom of speech rights of public employees because of its belief that organizational dissent may seriously undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of public organizations. Due to this fact, the article argues that public employees must develop a comprehensive understanding of First Amendment freedom of speech jurisprudence to maximize their protection from retaliation.