I’ve never been asked that question on any job interview, but then I’m not a law professor.

In this case there is strong evidence of bias against “conservatives” (anyone not left wing) although it is hard to prove it in any particular case. The solution is to have a “conservative” (if they exist) on every hiring committee. This will hopefully have the effect of keeping the rest of the committee honest, and shaming them as well, without introducing any legal structure.

That ship has sailed a long time ago. The courts already do so when it comes to minorities, women and if not already, soon to be, gays. As someone who frequents this website, I am not in favor of frivolous lawsuits, but it seems unreasonable to me that the most important diversity, diversity of thought, is the only one that is not protected at a university. I don’t know what the best way is to rectify this bias, but it does not bode well for the country that the ideas of only one side of the political spectrum are presented at our universities.

No, they probably won’t, but why should that be her problem? It’s common knowledge that conservatives don’t get a fair shake in academia, and where that happens at a State university, it’s a First Amendment problem. Are you saying that the First Amendment shouldn’t be enforced?