Federal Bill May Bolster Campus Free Speech, But Will it Go Anywhere?

Aug 27, 2021 · · Comments Off on Federal Bill May Bolster Campus Free Speech, But Will it Go Anywhere?

In recent years, American universities have come under fire for frequent mistreatment of speech on their campuses. Often, this mistreatment is a result of restrictive or ill-defined speech codes—policies that stifle any speech that would otherwise be protected in general society. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has found in their annual speech … Continue reading “Federal Bill May Bolster Campus Free Speech, But Will it Go Anywhere?”

This Case Gives the Supreme Court a Chance to Protect Campus Free Speech

Mar 3, 2021 · · Comments Off on This Case Gives the Supreme Court a Chance to Protect Campus Free Speech

Over the last 30 years, federal courts have consistently ruled that restrictive speech codes and minuscule free speech zones on college campuses violate the First Amendment. So, why do college administrators continue to create and enforce such policies? The answer is that they face no penalty for doing so. A case that arose back in … Continue reading “This Case Gives the Supreme Court a Chance to Protect Campus Free Speech”

Speaking Out Against Censorship in Academia

Dec 2, 2020 · · Comments Off on Speaking Out Against Censorship in Academia

As academia becomes ever-more entrenched in groupthink, it can be intimidating to be a lone voice that refuses to toe the ideological line. And for good reason: failure to at least appear to agree with the ideological consensus on campus can result in a number of professional—and personal—consequences. But those potential consequences haven’t deterred one … Continue reading “Speaking Out Against Censorship in Academia”

Did You Know? The Decline of Free Speech Zones

Jul 2, 2020 · · Comments Off on Did You Know? The Decline of Free Speech Zones

The term “free speech zone” can be misleading. While the name implies a policy that promotes free expression, free speech zones do the opposite. They confine political demonstrations to a small, often secluded, area on campus and typically require students to get advance permission to demonstrate.  In Oregon, a pro-life group, Students for Life, filed … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Decline of Free Speech Zones”

Conserve Free Speech on Campus

Nov 20, 2019 · · Comments Off on Conserve Free Speech on Campus

Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from The Not-So-Great Society, published by the Heritage Foundation. Who cares that 20 students at the University of Wisconsin staged a protest in October 2017? Just months earlier, violence broke out at the University of California, Berkeley, after the invitation of a controversial speaker to campus. In March, a … Continue reading “Conserve Free Speech on Campus”

Why Can’t This Public University Stay Out of Court?

Apr 4, 2018 · · Comments Off on Why Can’t This Public University Stay Out of Court?

Located just north of Atlanta, Kennesaw State University is a school enrolling some 35,000 students. Arguably, the most noteworthy thing about it is the fact that its officials keep making decisions that land it in court. In February, the university’s “speech zone” policy came under attack. A student group, Ratio Christi, wanted to put up … Continue reading “Why Can’t This Public University Stay Out of Court?”

NC Joins Growing List of States Seeking to Protect Campus Free Speech

Apr 24, 2017 · and · Comments Off on NC Joins Growing List of States Seeking to Protect Campus Free Speech

Student intolerance and opposition to free speech have been gaining momentum. What began as isolated incidents at the University of Missouri and Yale University in fall 2015 quickly spread to other universities, leading to individuals being targeted for simply expressing their opinions. Recent rioting that prevented a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley, and … Continue reading “NC Joins Growing List of States Seeking to Protect Campus Free Speech”

Shouldn’t an Entire Campus Be a Free Speech Zone—Not Just .02 Percent of It?

Jan 13, 2017 · · Comments Off on Shouldn’t an Entire Campus Be a Free Speech Zone—Not Just .02 Percent of It?

(Editor’s note: This article first appeared on Forbes.com.) Hostility to free speech has become a salient characteristic of American college campuses. Speech codes that make it dangerous for students (or anyone else) to say things that might be regarded as offensive or “harassing” are all too common—even though the codes have been found to violate … Continue reading “Shouldn’t an Entire Campus Be a Free Speech Zone—Not Just .02 Percent of It?”

Will the Surge of Support for Free Speech on Campus Do Any Good?

Nov 16, 2016 · · Comments Off on Will the Surge of Support for Free Speech on Campus Do Any Good?

Last month, PEN America, the U.S. branch of an international organization, published a strong defense of free speech on college campuses. The nearly century-old group stands for the idea that “People everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to make it possible for everyone to … Continue reading “Will the Surge of Support for Free Speech on Campus Do Any Good?”