• Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
The Volante
  • Campus
  • Sports
  • Verve
  • Opinion
  • State/Local
The Volante
  • Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
Editorial: USD should alter free speech policiesOpinion
Molly Schiermeyer | The Volante
Home
Opinion

Editorial: USD should alter free speech policies

September 27th, 2017 Editorial Board Opinion comments

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

Across of the outer wall of the Al Neuharth Media Center are the words of the renowned First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Regarded by many as the greatest of our liberties, the freedom of speech is something Americans hold dearly to their hearts. The ability to speak our minds, even when deemed dangerous or controversial, is partly why America is the center of cultural enterprise and intellectual endeavor.

Unfortunately, USD doesn’t live up to this principle. While the etchings on the Neuharth Center are endearing, the actual policy of the university is less so.

The Foundation for Individual Right in Education, or FIRE, has taken note of USD’s policies, and has given the university a “red” designation.

This means that USD has at least one policy that “clearly and substantially restricts free speech.” According to FIRE, there are two policies that warrant a “red” label at USD.

The first resides in the Student Handbook under Guidelines for the Awareness and Prevention of Acts of Cultural Insensitivity and Bullying at USD. Specifically, section five states: “Using university property (i.e. the USD internet server) to bully other students (cyber bullying) or express feelings of hatred via Facebook, Twitter, email or other forms of social media is not allowed.”

Unkind or insensitive words are things we all should do our best to avoid. Nonetheless, “hate speech” is protected by the Constitution, and since USD is public institution, it must abide by the First Amendment. In fact, policies similar to ours have fallen in federal court. While preventing bullying is an admirable pursuit, sacrificing free speech is a line no university should cross.

The second red light policy lies in USD’s Free Speech Policy, which outlines areas where free speech is allowed. The policy states that the Muenster University Center, Muenster University Center Courtyard and the I.D. Weeks Library Courtyard are the only areas where free speech is allowed.

Much like hate speech codes, free speech zones have come under legal scrutiny. The University of Cincinnati’s speech zones were recently ruled unconstitutional in federal court.

Beyond the legal issues, there’s a principle at stake: the principle of free thought and free inquiry.

Socrates, the philosopher who’s considered the beginning of western tradition, was sentenced to death because his way of thinking “corrupted” the minds of young people. Galileo, the astronomer who said that the Sun was the center of the Solar System, went to trial for challenging the predominant religious view of the cosmos.

Western values, whether it be science or politics, rest in the freedom of speech.

USD, in solidarity with the words spread across the Al Neuharth building, should revisit its free speech policies. To be fair, these policies aren’t strictly enforced and more just words on a page. Nonetheless, changes should be made so that students’ rights are clearly upheld in policy, both in legal terms and in principle.

We take pride in our diversity: let’s extend that diversity to our intellects, and allow students to freely express their thoughts, good or bad, and let others freely challenge those thoughts.

Post Views: 11

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

Editorial Board

Related Posts

Will Artificial Intelligence Kill the Essay? Opinion
March 7th, 2023

Will Artificial Intelligence Kill the Essay?

Group Projects are Worse than Individual Work Opinion
March 7th, 2023

Group Projects are Worse than Individual Work

Opinion

Editorial: Why are the Seats Always Empty?

Mar 7th, 20230
College athletics are one of the most distinctive features of school. Sports are a significant portion of...

Facebook Comments

E-Edition

https://volanteonline.com/eedition/

For our online E-edition click here

Weather

September 2017
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
« Aug   Oct »
Read about: Best Detox Shampoos for Hair Drug Test and Synthetic Urine and Fake Pee manual
  • Coyote News
  • KAOR 91.1
  • Media & Journalism Department
  • Back to top

Stay Connected

  • Letters to the Editor
  • Submit an Overheard
  • Contact Us
  • Submit News Tips
  • Subscribe

About

  • Coyote News
  • KAOR 91.1
  • Media & Journalism Department
© The Volante 2015. All rights reserved.