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…
As Roger Rosenblatt endured in countries of constrained inhabitants, “the secret publication of books, the pirated music, the tricky subversive lines of poetry read at vast gatherings of tens of thousands. And the below the surface comedy” (503) will continuously arise no matter the discouragement present. In a country founded on its freedoms, the retraction of any of those privileges will be met with extreme adversity. Moreover, “since free is the way people's minds were made to be” (Rosenblatt 502) the restriction of verbal expression will only cause riots and outrage. Currently, various universities and colleges have faced the backlash of unjust speech limitations on their campuses. One student attending a college in Arizona prepares to sue the school for, “her school’s so-called “speech zone,” arguing the policy “severely limited” her right to free speech and due process” (Harkness). Reactions to a decrease in the liberty to speak freely induces immediate retaliation and hardship, in addition, to being entirely unnecessary. To keep the peace and stability, the United States must keep the freedom of speech as it was intended to be used, freely.…
Wu, T. (2010). The Future of Free Speech. Chronicle of Higher Education, 57 (13), B4-B5.…
If our legal reality truly reflected our political rhetoric about liberty, Americans and especially American college and university students would be enjoying a truly remarkable freedom to speak and express controversial ideas at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Virtually every public official declares a belief in "freedom of speech." Politicians extol the virtues of freedom and boast of America’s unique status as a nation of unfettered expression. Judges pay homage to free speech in court opinions. Even some fringe parties’ communists and fascists who would create a totalitarian state if they were in power have praised the virtues of the freedom they need for their survival. Few individuals speak more emphatically on behalf of freedom of speech and expression, however, than university administrators, and few institutions more clearly advertise their loyalty to this freedom than universities themselves. During the college application process, there is a very high probability that you received pamphlets, brochures, booklets, and catalogs that loudly proclaimed the university’s commitment to "free inquiry," "academic freedom," "diversity," "dialogue," and "tolerance."You may have believed these declarations, trusting that both public and private colleges and universities welcome all views, no matter how far outside the mainstream, because they want honest difference and debate.…
In higher education, public universities/colleges in the United States of America must respect students’ civil rights. These rights are stated under the United States Constitution, one entitlement is the First Amendment. The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech. Every student in an institution has the right to the freedom of speech. One free speech topic is the freedom in student press/ publication. Freedom in student press/publication is a speech is protected under the First Amendment. The student has the right to his or her own opinion. When these rights are violated, the student can file suit against the college and/or university.…
As American citizens, according to the 1st Amendment in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States, we have the right to freedom of speech. However, in certain vicinities, such as public schools, that freedom is limited. Teachers for example, cannot discuss their own political or religious views with students. In addition, neither the teacher nor the student is allowed to profane. These types of restrictions are justified by saying there is a certain time and place for those subjects and school is not the proper place. School is for fundamental education and obtaining a broad view of the world without students being compelled into believing or acting based on the views of the teachers.…
Students have the right of free speech by the First Amendment, but some speech by students is not protected by the First Amendment. Schools should be able to regulate the speech that involves their students. When speech occurs that is not protected by the First Amendment, the school should take the actions necessary in limiting this speech to ensure the wellbeing of the students and teachers at the school. Online speech can endanger people’s lives, disrupt the learning environment, and present sexually offensive content. Therefore, schools should be able to limit their students online speech, on and off campus, to keep the school safe and focused, while still keeping the students First Amendment in…
“If we do not believe in freedom of speech for those we despise, then we do not believe in it at all.” - Noam Chomsky…
Modern day students have found a new way to harass others through social media sites and electronics. Cyber bullying is on the rise and school administrators are having a difficult time creating a safe learning environment for all students without infringing upon first amendment rights. School officials now have to ask themselves when it is appropriate to punish students for behavior outside of class. All school systems should have the power to override a student’s freedom of speech if that student causes substantial disruption of the school environment.…
Many people can protest as much as they want but it must not disturb the state of calm in the state. Limits to rights defuses any potential harm that can happen although there is criticism indeed. There are many types of speeches each can be allowed with limited aspects in a school the rules are simple behave and do not cause a disturbance. In the Tinker V. Des Moines cases a group of kids wore the armbands that was controversial to some member of the faculty. The students accused the school of infringing their 1st Amendment rights. The students were simply stating their own opinion for themselves although it may have disrupted student it did not stop the educational process. The rights of students is very limited punishments are announced…
For Instance, if the public was not able to possess freedom of speech than people would be force to be fastidious about the things they say. Politics, Speech in the classroom, Speech related to college and university governance, or Research related speech are all prime examples of why higher education is critical to the first amendment and freedom of speech. Even faculty members see continuing aggressive challenges to what they are allowed to say publicly or through an email privately. If you ask me, faculty members, academic professionals, or anyone should have a right to freely express themselves both in the classroom and externally because we all play an important role in providing necessary criticism, insight and invention to society. Ineffective or bad communication is equivalent to not exhibiting your opinions.…
First Amendment rights to freedom of speech are regulated in various ways in many different variations of institutions. For instance, public school administrations have broad standards created by the Supreme Court to use when there is a need to suppress student speech believed too distracting, offensive, presenting a harmful image for the school, or even promoting illegal drug use. Though broad, a few cases do provide guidance when looking at student speech, and how there are times when the regulation content is deemed constitutional.…
With the advancement of technology comes increased connectivity to a digital world where our children find themselves with limited guidance. This new realm is one that parents and educators have continually tried to navigate in an attempt to create a safer place for our children. Parents try to protect their children by imposing restrictions on Internet usage, while teachers struggle to teach Internet safety and digital citizenship in the classroom. Holding our youth accountable for their online behavior in a society that values Internet sensaltionalism has proven to be difficult, causing those in positions of authority to ask themselves where to draw the line. As the answer to this question changes with each new case, and more and more children…
Many schools in America have banned books in their libraries for the content in certain books. the name behind this idea is called censorship. Books are censord because people feel like it will protect children from certain ideas, improve society, and keeping moral values. Main reason books are censored are for religion, sex, drugs, abuse, social issues, and more. Censorship on books has been a controversal topic for many years. Censorship in schools should not be allowed because it infringes on the first amendment, stops people from learning about social injustices, and censorship can skew the truth.…
I suspect that no community will become humane and caring by restricting what its members can say. The worst offenders will simply find other ways to irritate and insult.”…