Free Speech in College Campuses
Racism, sexism and homophobia are spreading throughout the country. Among the settings of these expressions of intolerance are colleges and university campuses. Charles R. Lawrence believes that regulating free speech can help relieve this growing plague. Author of the article "Regulating Racist Speech On Campus". Hate Speech on campus creates a hostile learning environment and tolerance of hate speech on campuses is harmful to students. Free speech will allow bigots to express their thoughts and subject their targets to a loss of equal educational opportunity. In the words of Charles Lawrence, "It is the University's responsibility for insuring that these students receive an equal educational opportunity provides a compelling justification for regulations that insure them safe passage in all common areas. A minority student should not have to risk becoming a target of racially assaulting speech every time he or she chooses to walk cross campus". (PG 383) School such as University of Michigan points out that, "It disrupts the educational process and retards progress made in bringing equal opportunity and access to educational for all". Students will be driven to silence in avoidance of the issues and fear of confrontation.
Where racist, sexist, and homophobic speech is concerned, more speech (not less) is the best revenge. The mission of Colleges and Universities is to facilitate learning through open debate, to study the issues and to open up or enlighten student minds with topics that are not regularly discussed. Regulating speech in campuses is not the way to go. "Hate speech is the expression of bigotry and prejudice - and these in turn are the products of ignorance. I know no better place to address ignorance than in our schools, and no better way to do so than in exposing all of our ideas, good and bad, ugly or beautiful, to the light of scrutiny within our classes" - Joseph Truman. Free speech is harmful to those who are being targeted without having an outlet to escape such verbal expressions. By regulating speech, students are not being given equal opportunity for education. This proves Lawrence belief to be inaccurate. Though students may feel that they are being targeted by hate speech, they are being given the opportunity to learn about the situations that are going on in their lives. There are many cases of colleges restricting freedom of speech. One of such is at the College of Michigan. A graduate student te
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