Arguments For Free Speech

Nearly all colleges and universities have adopted some form of anti-discrimination/harassment policies. These policies are meant to ensure that no student will be discriminated against due to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability. Many universities have adopted more specific policies regarding “hate speech” which prohibits speech or conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or an offensive educational environment towards minorities, women, gays and lesbians, and the disabled. The problem with universities enforcing a strict speech code is that it is often a vague policy that in itself is discriminatory as it violates The First Amendment. The case of Omar Mahmood, a student at the University of Michigan who was disciplined for writing a satirical article, “Do the Left Thing” illustrates the problems with these types of policies.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill opened in 1795 as the first public college in the United States. Since then, free speech and the formation of independent ideas and opinions have been seen as integral parts of a student’s educational experience. Unfortunately, through the categorization of public college campuses as designated public forums and the implementation of restrictive student conduct codes and debilitating free speech zones, universities are denying students the expression they deserve. While these policies were originally created to protect students, they are now leading to a rising number of student tensions, lawsuits, and constitutional arguments. Every university is unique in its ability to define campus

After recent violence activists arose in college campuses the culprit being unregulated speech. Many campuses are forming regulations on speech codes on campuses, others choose to remain unregulated. The decision is not put at ease with the first and fourteen amendment conflicting between the citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, and the right for equal educational opportunities. Is there a middle ground that allows individuals continue their education in the sanction of a college campuses while not infringing on others’ right to speech? The possibility is there were we can decide what protected and unprotected speech is without turning the first amendment into a tool of domination.

With the rise of intersectionality and sensitivity discussions across college campuses, there has been intense discussion regarding the nature of free speech, what is protected, and what is not. Several universities (mostly public institutions) have attempted to implement speech codes for the stated reason of protecting their students from harm. However, these speech codes have largely been struck down when challenged in court. Some scholars have challenged these decisions, arguing that the harm principle should allow schools to protect their students from harmful language. Others push back, arguing that not only does the right to freedom of expression trump these concerns, but that there are actually net harms caused by the restriction of

Our research is intended to help the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Academic Affairs Office and Campus Climate Office better understand student attitudes toward free speech and student opinions about how the university should respond to controversial incidents. Our research objectives are to assess student’s attitudes towards free speech, determine how common it is for students to be directly affected by free speech controversies on campus, determine how willing students are to engage in free speech, and discover if students believe that the university responds to incidents appropriately. We sent an electronic survey to 1300 randomly selected UWL students and received 104 responses, an 8% response rate.

After recent increase of violence activists arose in college campus the culprit being targeted is unregulated speech. Many campuses are forming regulations on speech codes, others choose to remain unregulated. The decision making process is not put at ease with the first and fourteen amendment conflicting between the citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, and the right to equal educational opportunities. Is there a middle ground that allows individuals to continue their education in the sanction of a college campuses while not infringing on others’ right to speech? The possibility is there where we can decide what protected and unprotected speech is without turning the first amendment into a tool of domination.

American universities are losing the ability to practice the use of free speech. The reason this has happened is due to political agendas that take away the ability to use free speech they do this by blocking people’s ability to express their thoughts with the threat of being called a racists or a bigot or even sexist this is causing the death of free speech and it is coddling the minds of American university students.

Colleges are all too eager to push socially progressive agendas. This isn’t breaking news: their standard liberal sway is well-acknowledged. However, colleges have swung into uncharted territory, claiming the right to inhibit student’s first amendment. Such oppression can be seen in the dozens of guest speakers who have been uninvited from campuses for holding intolerable views. One instance of this happened last fall at Williams College, when Suzanne Venker, feminist critic and author of The Flipside of Feminism, was invited to speak at the college’s “Uncomfortable Learning” event, which aimed to expose students to unique perspectives was disinvited. Ironically, she was uninvited because students found her opinions too offensive. Venker commented on her disinvitation stating, “Do not be swayed by groupthink no matter what your friends, your family or the culture believe. Do not be afraid to ask yourself questions that may make you uncomfortable. And do not be afraid of the answers.” Moreover, within the last ten years language codes and nagging social awareness emails that outline acceptable behavior have become a new norm amongst colleges--even the Ivys. Obviously racial slurs and curse words are censored and rightfully criticized by colleges, but an increasing number of “trigger

Our right of free speech is diminishing every year. College campuses are barring conservative speakers and provocateur from speaking because of the feelings of a few. A prime example is former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, of whose speakings were canceled at U.C. Berkeley for a riot being initiated by college students and professors against his beliefs. There are many more instances of colleges, whose sole purpose is to induce new ways of thinking and intellectualism, have shut down speakers because of their

Individuals in society have varying opinions on their response to certain subject matter and issues. As a citizen of the United States, one of the freedoms that we are awarded is the freedom of speech. While freedom of speech is a liberty given to Americans, we must also remain aware of the consequences of our actions in its regards. One of the most critical places that freedom of speech is questionable is at an individual’s place of employment, more specifically in education.

There has been a recent rise in fervor to carve out sections of the first amendment to exclude the use of hate speech on college campuses. These limitations on free speech strike at the heart of law and justice within our society. To tolerate these restrictions sets dangerous precedents and unveils dangerous consequences. Speech codes that limit speech and expression beyond the limits of the first amendment are not justified because they harm society and the intellectual integrity of a university while failing to adequately support those students victimized by hate speech.

In today 's society we see college as a Location for students to gain education and by the students gaining the education they obtain from colleges they than can use those skills to acquire a job that benefits the society we live in into a positive way. Freedom of speech is the right to express any opinion without being restrained by anyone, expressing ourself in part of being a person in that 's what makes up who we are. We could believe in things,people or anything we have strong beliefs in. Students of any college should not be told by any any college officials what they can say and what they cannot say, they should be able to express any beliefs they feel strong about .students should be able to express what they out without being

Free speech can be helpful and hurtful, but it must be honored; because the United States constitution guaranteed the right through the first amendment. It is a vital element to a healthy and free society, because it holds the government accountable by giving a voice to the people. The absence of freedom of speech would discontinue new ideas and advancements therefore damaging the development of society. Consequently, college students are pressured to take advantage of freedom of speech to state their views and values. Free speech is emphasized in the college setting, because the students are the current generation’s next minds. They want to know what new ideas are being presented and what beliefs are becoming dominate.

Our world is changing and so are our rights. The First Amendment, freedom of speech, is taking the world by storm. Whether it be at sporting events or on college campuses, our First Amendment rights must be upheld. College is meant to provide each student with knowledge; ensuring they experience viewpoints from thousands of people, and taking away our First Amendment rights is taking away our opportunity to learn and further our education.

Since childhood, I have been raised to believe that college is a space for freethinkers, a place where two people with different opinions can civilly debate on topics to learn more about each other's sides. Even to this day, I hold the idea that college is meant to be the hub for free speech, sadly not everyone agrees. In colleges across the nation, students are feeling frightened to share their opinions if it doesn't fit the social norm. If the United States is a country that deeply values its right to free speech, then why are students afraid to say what they think? One reason might be the threat of violence from groups like Antifa, a social anarchist group that uses mace and bike locks to assault people at protests and counter-protests for public speakers. These attacks don't just occur at random events for just any speakers, they are aimed at conservative speakers and their followers. These attacks and protests are part of a plan to silence a public speaker from spreading their message. Any protest that is set up with the goal of silencing any person is not just an attack on the speaker but is also an attack on the First Amendment. College students should not block public speakers from speaking on campuses because they are constitutionally protected to do so, it is important for students to hear different views than what they agree with, and history has shown that some of the most life-changing movements were seen as using inflammatory speech and were also blocked.