Campus Speech Restrictions

It's only tangentially related to the internet, but the Chronicle of Higher Education is running a story about 'free-speech zones' being set up at certain colleges. Or, if you look at it another way, 'non-free-speech zones' being set up. Assuming these 'zones' are administered in the same way as they are in New York City, the object is to make the zone as far away as possible from anywhere they could be heard, so as to minimize the impact of the protest. I found the article quite interesting as a recap of the current state of campus speech restrictions.

Comments

Scary.

[Snowfox]

I visited my girlfriend at California State University in Chico.

They have a section of a park which is reserved for free speech. I asked a few people what that meant about the rest of the campus and it was eerie -- everybody seemed to think of it as a cool extra that had been granted to them. Nobody saw it as something taken away.

*shudder* ... double plus good for the Orwelians, I suppose.

Trends

[roju]

It seems to me that it is kind of worrying how it's even necessary that such zones are required. According to the Constition, isn't the entire US a free speech zone?

In any case, I've looked into issues about free speech on campus' in the past, and it's scary. Profs being suspended because people find discussing the history of slavery offensive, and other similar things. I can't remember many of the specifics, but it seems only a small number of profs have been standing up to the trend to prevent the open discussion of ideas.

If I can dig up any of the references, I'll post them.

Re:Trends

[Zachary Kessin]

Yes and no, The Constition says Congress shall make no law the inibits the freedom of speach. But a private organazation can say you can't say that *HERE*. If I were to go to my local Walmart and stand on a soap box out front and shout about this or that they would be well within their rights to kick me out.
Now Universites are a different story, and Academic freedom is usualy rather wide. But even towns may limit speach in some ways as long as it is not done based on content. But for example a town could say that a group can't hold a protest outside of a school during school hours.
This should Help: A FAQ from the ADL

The cure of the ills of Democracy is more Democracy.

Not so bad. It could be profitable.

[human bean]

This is a blatant violation of a person's right to free speech. If the school in question receives any federal dollars (including research money), consider the following:

1. Find student who has a good cause but who has been beaten down for free speech in "inappropriate areas".
2. Get legal students to run down court precedents and applicable case law.
3. Present above to constitutional lawyer, offer him case on spec for fifty percent (maybe you want to haggle a little here). Keep some for yourself, and pay a little to the defendant. (after all, they deserve something).
4. Hopefully win court case. Not a sure thing, but you need to work on it.
5. If you win, start legal students to rounding up all other students with similar cases at other schools. Make bulk deal with lawyer. Try to space them out enough that there is no cause for consolidation as a class action.

This could be a nifty little side career while you are going to school.