"The goal of suppressing all protests is apparent in these principles: 'Actions taken beyond making one's thoughts heard or read... do not constitute speech and expression protected by these Principles.'"
"The presumption should be that all expressive acts-including the right to protest-are protected by principles of open expression. To claim that 'actions' have no protections... is a disturbingly narrow vision of free expression."
"'Disrupting University operations is not permitted. This includes conduct that interferes unreasonably with the activities of other persons... or knowingly interfering with unimpeded movement in a University location.'"
"'Holding meetings, events, or demonstrations under circumstances where health or safety is endangered' gives the administration free rein to ban controversial speech."
The University of Pennsylvania's proposed Guidelines on Open Expression pose a significant threat to free speech by suppressing protests. The guidelines state that actions violating principles or laws do not constitute protected speech. This narrow definition undermines the right to protest. Specific rules prohibit disrupting university operations, using vague terms like 'disrupting' and 'interferes unreasonably.' The rule against holding events that may endanger health or safety allows the administration to ban controversial speech, raising concerns about the suppression of dissenting voices on campus.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]