SPOKANE, Wash – A former Washington State University professor is suing the university after she said they violated her First Amendment rights.
Dr. Renata Moon has been a professor at WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine since 2017. In December of 2022, her contract with WSU was not renewed after she expressed concerns about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, specifically for kids, during testimony at a U.S. Senate roundtable.
“This is a direct infringement on everyone’s First Amendment right to free speech,” said Dr. Moon.
Dr. Moon, who has been practicing pediatric medicine for over 25 years, said she has never had any issues during her career, “I have a clean record of patient care. I have never had an action against any state medical license.”
Dr. Moon explained that when the COVID-19 vaccine was announced, she worried how kids might react. ” If we have concerns about something, we take part, we speak out; that’s what America is about.”
She voiced these concerns in 2022 during her testimony at a U.S. Senate roundtable, which read in part:
“As a pediatrician, I have to speak to the health of our nation’s children, and we are being asked to inject this product into our nation’s kids who have essentially a 0% risk of harm. When I bring up with families that other reputable countries have banned this, they’re stunned.”
We asked Dr. Moon if she still supported these comments. Before she could answer, her lawyer, Karen Osborne from the Silent Majority Foundation, interjected.
“It doesn’t matter whether she still stands behind those comments; she has the right to say them without losing her job and having her license at risk,” said Osborne.
Dr. Moon said that, as a result of these comments, she did not make on behalf of WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine but on her personal time. Still, her contract was not renewed, and she said the medical school had reported her testimony to the medical board of the State of Washington.
“They shouldn’t make them in retaliation for someone’s free speech and of all places at a senate hearing,” said Moon.
Dr. Moon said that as a result of this, she has lost her pension and health insurance, and it has damaged her reputation. Now, she said that because of the investigation, it’s prevented her from finding other work: “I’ve never had an issue getting privileges anywhere, and I have been denied privileges at hospitals just in the last month.”
Dr. Moon and her attorney are seeking $20,000,000 in damages. Osborne explained that Dr. Moon’s firing violated three of the five enumerated rights in the First Amendment: ” Without being able to speak freely, debate freely, we cannot come up with the truth; the truth will be hidden.”
Dr. Moon said the firing is a dangerous precedent to set, “how can anyone speak out if they are at threat of being terminated by their employer or even worse being reported to the medical board.”
NonStop Local reached out to Washington State University, a spokesman told us they do not comment on pending litigation.
