Free Speech on Campuses

free speech on campuses CONTEXT On September 23, 2017, the University of California at Berkeley decided to cancel “Free Speech Week,” a week dedicated to members of the far-right. The rally aimed to allow popular right-wing speakers to visit UC Berkeley’s campus. In the past, far-right speakers who attempted to visit, such as Milo Yiannopoulos, were greeted by angry protestors, resulting in the cancellation of numerous events. “Free Speech Week” was canceled when organizers, as well as failing to secure venues on campus, refused to disclose the guest list for the event. The cancellation of earlier events and “Free Speech Week” have caused many to revisit a very timeless debate concerning free speech on college campuses. QUESTION Would you support the right of a controversial figure to speak at your academic institution if that individual had made hateful comments or used derogatory language (Westboro Baptist Church, Ann Coulter, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Milo Yiannopoulos, etc.)? Why or why not? TASK Write an essay in which you examine the right to speak and the right to protest speakers if you disagree with them. USEFUL QUESTIONS Which speakers should be allowed to speak/visit academic institutions? What rationale should inform an institution’s decision to allow a public figure tovisit? Should free speech be regulated to certain areas on a college campus? Who should decide what speech is acceptable in higher education? In what ways does the First Amendment impact what people are allowed to say in higher education? REQUIREMENTS Write 6-8 pages (page six must be filled/not including the Works Cited Page), typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins all around) Write a Works Cited Page Use a minimum of five academic sources Use MLA in-text citations format Use quotes of no more than four lines