Spring Break
National incidents shine spotlight on free speech
Issue date: 10/4/07
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As incidents across college campuses spark debate on student free speech, members of the Hopkins Student Council (StuCo) are reviving demands for a comprehensive free speech policy from the administration.
In response to the use of a TASER on a student at the University of Florida during a speech by John Kerry, a student-run paper at Colorado State University (CSU) printed an editorial that read "TASER THIS … [Explicative] BUSH."
The four-word editorial in the The Rocky Mountain Collegian has resulted in its author, editor-in-chief J. David McSwane, being brought before the University's Board of Student Communications.
The board continues to deliberate as to what, if any, punishment McSwane will receive.
According to Student Press Law Center attorney Mike Hiestand, the Board responded that although it did not approve of what McSwane printed, student editors have the right to decide the content of their own papers.
Hiestand praised this initial reaction to the CSU incident as "a very good, pro-free speech message," and condemned any potential punishments for McSwane, deeming them illegal.
Last year, Hopkins administrators came under fire from free speech advocacy groups including the ACLU (who did not respond to the News-Letter's request for a comment) for their handling of the "Halloween in the Hood" party, thrown by the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Harris criticized the University's response, stating that "while Justin Park's 'Halloween in the Hood' invitation may have offended many in the Hopkins community, it was unquestionably protected speech and the University's harsh punishment of him demonstrated a blatant disregard for students' free speech rights."
Hopkins currently follows the "Principles for Ensuring Equity, Civility and Respect for All," as a free speech policy, which states that "rude disrespectful behavior is unwelcome and will not be tolerated."
"The civility policy is the antithesis of free speech" said Evan Lazerowitz, senator of legislation on StuCo. Lazerowitz is the force behind a bill before StuCo calling for the University to look into creating a new, fairer free speech policy for the benefit of the student body.
In response to the use of a TASER on a student at the University of Florida during a speech by John Kerry, a student-run paper at Colorado State University (CSU) printed an editorial that read "TASER THIS … [Explicative] BUSH."
The four-word editorial in the The Rocky Mountain Collegian has resulted in its author, editor-in-chief J. David McSwane, being brought before the University's Board of Student Communications.
The board continues to deliberate as to what, if any, punishment McSwane will receive.
According to Student Press Law Center attorney Mike Hiestand, the Board responded that although it did not approve of what McSwane printed, student editors have the right to decide the content of their own papers.
Hiestand praised this initial reaction to the CSU incident as "a very good, pro-free speech message," and condemned any potential punishments for McSwane, deeming them illegal.
Last year, Hopkins administrators came under fire from free speech advocacy groups including the ACLU (who did not respond to the News-Letter's request for a comment) for their handling of the "Halloween in the Hood" party, thrown by the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Harris criticized the University's response, stating that "while Justin Park's 'Halloween in the Hood' invitation may have offended many in the Hopkins community, it was unquestionably protected speech and the University's harsh punishment of him demonstrated a blatant disregard for students' free speech rights."
Hopkins currently follows the "Principles for Ensuring Equity, Civility and Respect for All," as a free speech policy, which states that "rude disrespectful behavior is unwelcome and will not be tolerated."
"The civility policy is the antithesis of free speech" said Evan Lazerowitz, senator of legislation on StuCo. Lazerowitz is the force behind a bill before StuCo calling for the University to look into creating a new, fairer free speech policy for the benefit of the student body.
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