The Good Guys won this round. Prof. Kenneth Howell, who was fired from the University of Illinois for teaching Catholic dogma in an “Introduction to Catholicism” course, has been reinstated … for now.

According to David French, senior legal counsel at Alliance Defense Fund,

This exclusion in the name of inclusion ignited a firestorm of protest. Within weeks, a “Save Dr. Ken” Facebook page and group had together accumulated more than 9,000 fans, FIRE weighed in, the AAUP expressed concern, and at the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom, we stepped in to represent him — and reminded the University of his fundamental First Amendment rights. Yesterday, these efforts paid off.

In addition to the work on Howell’s behalf, noted above, some 3,000 emails were sent to UI’s Board of Trustee’s.

French also points out, “It’s a shame, however, that it took a grassroots student uprising, legal representation, and an avalanche of media attention to make it happen.”

Prof. Howell would still be out of a job today were it not for conservative websites, pundits and bloggers operating in a medium the Left wants to control through so-called net neutrality legislation.

Furthermore, complete victory is far from certain. According to a letter from the Office of University Counsel to the ADF, UI’s Faculty Senate Committee for Political Correctness Enforcement on Academic Freedom and Tenure

will continue its review of the situation surrounding the earlier decision not to offer Dr. Howell a teaching assignment for the fall semester

The Committee that summarily fired Prof. Howell, without any due process, based on anonymous, hearsay allegations will continue to “review … the situation.” Well, doesn’t that just give you the warm fuzzies?