Suspended UK professor appeals judge’s order in quest to teach this semester

A suspended University of Kentucky professor has filed an appeal after a federal judge denied his request to return to the classroom this semester.

Ramsi Woodcock, who was suspended by the university July 18 for using speech UK President Eli Capilouto described as hateful and repugnant, and subsequently sued the school, recently asked U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves to pause UK’s investigation until the lawsuit resolves and allow him to teach this semester, which began Jan. 12.

Reeves denied Woodcock’s request Jan. 8 and instead granted a motion from UK to put proceedings in the lawsuit on hold while the university investigates.

On Wednesday, Woodcock filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, asking for Reeves’ order to be reversed and issue an injunction while the appeals case continues, allowing him to teach this semester.

“Denial of this request will deprive plaintiff (Woodcock) of the opportunity to avoid ongoing constitutional harm,” Rima Kapitan, an attorney representing Woodcock, said in a request for an injunction in the lawsuit. “Every day during which First Amendment freedoms are violated inflicts irreparable harm on plaintiff as a matter of law.”

Since February 2024, Woodcock has openly shared his views on Palestine and the Gaza war at academic conferences, on scholarly listservs, and online. He circulated a petition last summer calling for the end of the Israeli nation and in support of Palestine in the Gaza war.

Woodcock began researching international law and decolonization in 2022 after he became a tenured professor at UK. His research led him to believe Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people, and Israel must cease to exist, according to court documents.

Woodcock has argued that his speech regarding Palestine is protected and the university’s investigation is unconstitutional. When UK suspended Woodcock in July, Capiluto said the comments “can be interpreted as antisemitic in accordance with state and federal guidance.”

“Because antisemitic statements can violate Title VI and because the University cannot ignore a possible Title VI violation, the University began to investigate Professor Woodcock’s actions,” court documents say.

The university removed Woodcock from the classroom and banned him from the J. David Rosenberg College of Law building while an external investigation takes place. When denying Woodcock’s request for an injunction and ruling to abstain from the case, Reeves said the university has a right to conduct an investigation.

“The University’s investigation into Woodcock’s speech does not meet the high standard of being ‘flagrantly and patently’ unconstitutional,” Reeves wrote. “Circumstances exist in which the University can lawfully restrict the speech of its employees.”

According to Woodcock’s lawyers, investigators have asked him to respond to 42 “intrusive questions about his speech” by Friday, after which investigators will issue a “secret report” about his speech, court documents say. Woodcock’s attorneys did not request a timeline for the appeals court to make a ruling, but said allowing him to teach would help the understaffed law school faculty.

This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 2:33 PM.