Lawsuit challenges college "PC" code

[osprey4]

How's this for irony? A lawsuit challenging Shippensburg University's speech code as an unconsitutional infringement of free speech.

Should this be filed under "lawyers helping other lawyers get rich"?

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030424-25280575.htm

[M_Six]

I could easily sit on the fence on this one. I firmly believe in the right to free speech, but I also abhor the use of racist remarks and agree there's no place for racist speech in a college setting. Racism is ignorance itself and colleges are supposed to eliminate ignorance.

On the other hand, classifying speech that "annoys or alarms a person or group" as off-limits can quickly eliminate any free speech at all. There will always be somebody who finds controversial subjects annoying or alarming.

Tough call. It would be nice to have more information.

[nukes]

I think people have the right to go to school and learn regardless of their background or race. They should also have the right not to have to endure hassle based on those factors. The wording of the rule could have been better in order to stop this sort of thing happening, but its still a rule that should be in place.

On the other hand, classifying speech that "annoys or alarms a person or group" as off-limits can quickly eliminate any free speech at all. There will always be somebody who finds controversial subjects annoying or alarming.

Yeah, but I doubt that it would be put into force if you, for example told someone to bugger off because they were getting on your nerves. If you look at the wording of it it is quite acceptable and there isn't really any call for this sort of action:

[M_Six]

there isn't really any call for this sort of action

I agree. This seems to be a case of overzealous lawyers.

[Chuckiechan]

In the free speech arena is there anything that Hitler said that would be prohibited today?

I think colleges should have a right to set boundaries of where acceptible speech ends and flames of hatred begin. The real world is different because you need a forum created by your ideas rather than one created by a college simply to give you a "voice".

[osprey4]

It's tough. Colleges want to promote freedom of thought, yet they want to provide a community where all sorts of students can belong.

Of course, they could do away with written rules and still have an unwritten code with as much force. This is probably more prevalent in US colleges.

[Bill in SD, CA]

Isn't "PC" McCarthyism by another name? Just wondering.

Bill

[Epidemic]

Problem with rules such as these is they will be metered out to only quiet one side of an argument.

I.E. Muslims may still demean zionists yet no comment may be made.

If it is fairly metered out it can also get rediculous. As the definition of offensive can get pretty broad.

Some will be offended when others say the US military is a baby killing organization. Or conversely some may find defense of the military objectionable.

In a sense this rule is really saying that you may not speak on any contraversial topic at all. Complete restriction of freedom of speech.

[surreal]

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriot...6915216802.xml

for more news (local)

[osprey4]

Originally posted by Bill in SD, CA
Isn't "PC" McCarthyism by another name? Just wondering.

It's "left-coast" McCarthyism, from the standpoint that college campuses tend to lean that way.