Just a few years back, the support for campus free speech has reached a crisis point where it has become weaker and there was a rise of trigger warnings, creation of safe spaces and range of speaker disinvitations.
According to National Review, restoring and protecting freedom of speech in college campuses lies in comprehensive state-level legislation that is designed to secure freedom of speech in the campuses of public state university systems. And now, a law is being drafted that aims to reinstate free expression and free speech in the colleges and universities in the United States.
The proposal will attempt to bring back free speech by stopping educational institutions from selecting and disallowing controversial guest speakers and making students believe that colleges and universities exist to uphold the First Amendment, Heatstreet reported.
The Goldwater Institute think tank published the new rules last week and it aims to create a model for state legislatures to debate, amend and pass. However, they would only be applicable to state colleges but authors believe that it can eventually have an effect and influence at private institutions.
The draft includes a number of new provisions which include the roll back on existing practices on campus. Students can also be expelled for repeatedly and extremely stopping their peers from practicing freedom of expression, like in the forms of protests.
Some of the things included in the proposal are the following:
- No banned speakers, where campuses are open to any speaker whom students, student groups or faculty have invited.
- No coddling students which means that institutions cannot stop individuals from expressing ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable or even deeply offensive.
- Punishment for disruptive protest which means that disciplinary actions will be given to anyone who interferes with the freedom of expression of others.
