Fergie's Tech Blog

Report Finds Rampant Censorship at American Colleges and Universities

Via Government Technology.

A report released today by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) reveals that burdensome restrictions on speech are commonplace at America's colleges and universities.

The report, entitled Spotlight on Speech Codes 2006: The State of Free Speech on Our Nation's Campuses [.pdf], surveyed more than 330 schools and found that an overwhelming majority of them explicitly prohibit speech that, outside the borders of campus, is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ["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."]

"There is a common misconception that 'speech codes' are a thing of the past -- a relic of the heyday of political correctness of the 1980s and 90s -- but the public needs to know that speech codes are perhaps more pervasive and restrictive than ever," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said.

posted by Fergie @ 12/06/2006 08:26:00 PM