Free Speech On Campus: Don't Be Too Quick To Assume You Have It
It seems most speech is now "hate speech," as far as many college administrators are concerned.
From Gawker, "University Suspends Journalism Student For Asking Questions For A Class Assignment."
Here's email that got Alex Myers, an Australian exchange student currently studying journalism at SUNY Oswego, part of New York's state university system, in trouble. (He was given a class assignment to profile a public figure and chose Oswego men's hockey coach Ed Gosek, and reached out to Gosek's fellow coaches at other schools.)
My name is Alex Myers, I work for the Office of Public Affairs at SUNY Oswego.I am currently writing a profile on Oswego State Hockey head coach Ed Gosek and was hoping to get a rival coaches view on Mr Gosek.
If you have time would you mind answering the following questions.
1. How do you find Mr Gosek to coach against?
2. Have you had any interactions with Mr Gosek off the ice? If so how did you find him?
3. What is your rivalry like between your school and Oswego State?Be as forthcoming as you like, what you say about Mr Gosek does not have to be positive.
Thank you, Alex Myers.
One coach wrote back that he found the last line of the email offensive. A day later, Myers was suspended indefinitely, pending a judicial hearing. The grounds:
Myers was charged with two counts. The first, a general charge encompassing "dishonesty," stemmed from Myers identifying himself as an employee of the Office of Public Affairs, where he was interning, even though that job had nothing to do with the class assignment. No question, he fucked up there.The second charge is unfathomable. The university cites the section of its code of conduct that covers "harassment, intimidation, stalking, domestic violence, or creating a hostile environment through discrimination or bias toward any individual or group." Most chilling, the section also covers "invasion of privacy." For doing research for a profile of a public figure. I know college kids like to call any authority figures "fascist," but man, Oswego, you're not exactly making your university a place where ideas can be exchanged freely.
This one has a happy(?) ending. After FIRE got involved, Oswego dropped the harassment charge. And at a disciplinary hearing last week, Myers was spared a suspension.
Of course, the "hate speech" prohibitions are violations of our right to free speech.
And off course, FIRE -- the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education -- came to the student's rescue...at no charge to the student...thanks to donations they get to support their efforts to defend free speech on campus.
FIRE needs donations -- even $5 helps. Here's a secure link to donate.
FIRE president Greg Lukianoff's recently published (and terrific) book I just finished reading is worth getting: Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate
And if you're in Los Angeles, FIRE and LA Press Club are hosting an event at the end of the month -- November 29, 7pm -- free to all who want to attend. There will be complimentary appetizers and complimentary drinks and Greg will be talking a bit about the book. You need to RSVP and get a ticket to attend, but tickets are free.
America's universities have been called "islands of tyranny in a sea of freedom." But inevitably, the anti-free-speech mindset inculcated there is seeping out into the larger society and poisoning the whole sea.
david foster at November 12, 2012 4:51 AM
I was in an argument with some people on facebook the other day, one dug up a bunch of racist tweets, another said such speech against the president should be considered treason, and another said we should pass laws against such speech.
They didnt like me pointing out the billof rights, or the notion that once you start stifling one groups speech there is nothing to stop others from stifling yours
lujlp at November 12, 2012 6:27 AM
Travel toward the far left of the political spectrum and you will soon encounter the far right. The two become indistinguishable. Neither can stand for freedom of speech and both despise our constitution.
Bar Sinister at November 12, 2012 6:39 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/11/12/free_speech_on.html#comment-3446172">comment from lujlpsaid such speech against the president should be considered treason, and another said we should pass laws against such speech.
Incredible. They don't understand what an amazing gift our Constitution is -- and couldn't begin to know how or why to defend it.
Amy Alkon
at November 12, 2012 6:50 AM
The suspension is ridiculous -- but so is a journalism student who can't punctuate and uses run-on sentences.
Kevin at November 12, 2012 8:49 AM
"They didnt like me pointing out the billof rights, or the notion that once you start stifling one groups speech there is nothing to stop others from stifling yours"
I'm guessing they never had a problem with the stuff that was said about Bush while he was in office either. That combo of ignoring the 1st amendment, and only seeming to care when it's their guy, usually makes me that much more angry.
Miguelitosd at November 12, 2012 4:10 PM
All colleges should add to their student handbooks a couple of paragraphs spelling out in detail what it is permissible to say.
Ken R at November 12, 2012 9:32 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/11/12/free_speech_on.html#comment-3447205">comment from Ken RAll colleges should add to their student handbooks a couple of paragraphs spelling out in detail what it is permissible to say.
Um, no -- colleges should not have speech codes.
Read Greg's book for how this damages our culture as a whole.
At public institutions, it's unconstitutional.
And private colleges sell themselves as bastions of free speech. Bullshit -- lately -- for many.
Amy Alkon
at November 12, 2012 10:38 PM
I don't think Ken R was being serious.
Everybody know that what is permissible varies depending on who you are and who you're talking to.
dee nile at November 13, 2012 5:57 AM
Yeah, I assume Ken R was being sarcastic too. I can see the list of things that it is permitted to say consisting entirely of:
* "Nice weather today, isn't it?"
* "Say, how about those [insert name of team here]?"
* "It's all Bush's fault!"
Cousin Dave at November 13, 2012 6:30 AM
"Um, no -- colleges should not have speech codes."
I agree.
Ken R at November 14, 2012 4:36 AM
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