UO employee put on paid leave after exercising his First Amendment right to be a dumbass on Instagram

Thanks to a reader for the news. Apparently this has gone viral. There’s a story in the Daily Emerald here:

According to Director of Issues Management and University of Oregon Spokesperson Angela Seydel, the university found Serrato’s statementsin his Instagram video “abhorrent and not in alignment with our values or mission.”

Seydel also said that Serrato has been placed on “administrative leave” and an investigation has been opened.

Administrative leave means that Serrato is taking paid time off, pending a university investigation.

In the post, Serrato said to followers, which included some UO students, to “go f— yourself if you voted for Donald Trump.”

Serrato concluded his story, saying “I hope you go jump off of a f—ing bridge,” with a peace sign.

Seydel said that the university has opened an investigation into the matter and are reviewing it under “university policies and the individual’s role as a public employee.”

According to Seydel, while the university is investigating, they will be providing “support for concerned students and employees, including resources for mental and emotional health.”

That last part seems a bit Orwellian to me. What would the appropriate response be? Perhaps President Scholz should look to Shakespeare:

“We consider it was excess of wine that set him off. … If little faults proceeding on distemper shall not be winked at then …”