The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) named the ten worst colleges for free speech in the U.S. based on incidents of censorship and violations of the free speech rights of students and faculty. Those listed were Mount St. Mary’s University, Northwestern University, Louisiana State University, University of California San Diego, Saint Mary’s University Minnesota, University of Oklahoma, Marquette University, Colorado College, University of Tulsa and Wesleyan University. (FIRE, February 17, 2016, press release)
FIRE president Greg Lukianoff said that many of the universities on the list had violated the free speech rights of tenured faculty members in one egregious case firing teachers without due process who opposed the president’s plan to dismiss low-performing freshmen. At another school the administration censored a faculty journal with an article on oral sex on the grounds that the article hurt the medical school’s “brand.” (Huffington Post, February 17, 2016, by Greg Lukianoff)
Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai said that given suppression of free speech on campuses and bullying of those expressing their views on the Internet, this generation runs the risk of accepting official censorship as a norm. “The text of the First Amendment is enshrined in our Constitution, but there are certain cultural values that undergird the amendment that are critical for its protections to have actual meaning. If that culture starts to wither away, then so too will the freedom that it supports,” Pai warned. (Breitbart, February 17, 2016, by John Hayward)
One Comment
Yes, you are free to say anything you like . . .And accept the consequences of doing so if you’re not in sync with organizational values and you get fired. Free speech doesn’t mean lack of accountability. You can’t cap your boss an a#$H$%^& for example and expect to stay employed. Opinions are no different. Promoting an Anti-Christ at a Catholic University for example isn’t in line with its mission . . .So you freely say what you want in support of your position knowing full well you can get canned. And do!
I think you all better choose carefully the cases you pursue!
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