Derek Bok Protecting Freedom Of Expression On The Campus

The First Amendment, Freedom of Speech could probably be considered one of the most powerful amendments of the Constitution. It is very important to distinguish the suitability of Freedom of Speech and its’ position under the First Amendment. The essay “Protecting Freedom of Expression on the Campus” presented by Derek Bok gives an example as to why this should be. In his essay Derek Bok responded to the presentation of the Confederate flag and the swastika by students at Harvard, with the expectation that the readers already have an understanding of what the phrase “freedom of speech” means to them as well as other people universally. “The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government. The Supreme Court requires the government to provide substantial justification for the
He goes on to discuss the fact that the display of these flags triggered a lot of controversy on the university campus, over the freedom of speech. He recalled that some of the students expressed that school administration should not allow the symbols because they are offensive to others. He asserts that some of the students felt the flag was the representation of oppressive and deeply unpleasant time in American history. He also mentions the students who felt that the symbols represented free speech and should be allowed. In his essay Derek Bok acknowledges and speaks to both sides of this argument by defending the display of the flags with the acknowledgements as he read them, of The First Amendment clause, which protects the freedom of speech for all. Then he questions the distastefulness of some free speech acts. He appears