Feds crack down...

[Will E Worm]

Feds crack down on campus flirting and sex jokes

When I was growing up it was widely believed that colleges and universities were the part of our society with the widest scope for free expression and free speech. In the conformist America of the 1950s, the thinking ran, few people dared to say anything that went beyond a broad consensus. But on campus anyone could say anything he liked.


Today we live in an America with enormous cultural variety in which very few things are considered universally verboten. But on campus it's different. There saying something considerably milder than some of the double entrendres you heard in cable news coverage of the Anthony Weiner scandal can get you into big trouble.

These reflections are inspired by a seemingly innocuous 19-page letter on April 4 from the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to colleges and universities. The letter was given prominence by Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which has done yeoman work opposing restrictive speech codes issued by colleges and universities.

Article

Watch what you say the KGB is watching you!

 

[TheOrangeCat]

Article

Watch what you say the KGB is watching you!

 

[lurkingdirk]

The KGB is working in America? That seems unlikely.

 

[TheOrangeCat]

Apart from the utter ludicrousness of the post, almost anyone who has read a newspaper, watched TV or even used the new-fangled InterTube since 1991 should know the KGB has been shut down since then.

Admittedly, its only 20 years to catch up. And some creatures move much slower than others, or live in the dark, ignorant of what the real world is up to.

 

[grower_boy]

I actually did a research project about hate speech codes on college campuses. In general, I find myself against them because they infringe on our rights of free speech, expression and religion, water down classroom discussions (because kids become afraid to share certain opinions) and in some cases segregate the students (because they end up feeling more comfortable around their own race). I also dislike the speech codes because they're lazy. If you're going to enforce something like that, you can't make it some broad and bold list of rules that acts as if all controversial acts of expression on campus fit into the same boat.

Here's what I mean:

If a student wants to make a high-risk argument in class opposing interracial relationships, he/she should be able to do that (because it is protected by the first amendment). However, if a student wants to threaten people in those types of relationships, that should not be okay.

If a Christian club on campus wants to hold a peaceful protest of gay marriage on campus, that should be okay. But if a student torments gays by yelling "fag" at them in the hallways, that should not be tolerated.

Everything should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. :2 cents:

 

[alexpnz]

You tell em' Will....:tongue:

 

[Will E Worm]

You tell em' Will....:tongue:

Someone has to.