In a move that could have wide-reaching implications on U.K. campuses, British universities will be instructed to uphold freedom of speech as a “legal duty.”
That this instruction had to be issued at all is revealing. University censorship in the UK is at an alarming high as the thought police punish freedom of expression in institutions that were intended to encourage free thought and intelligent discourse. The Independent recently reported that 90 percent of UK universities restrict the freedom of speech, while the Guardian reported “a growing sense of crisis around debate in British universities.”
News that the British government will “instruct universities to defend freedom of speech” is astonishing, but forcing universities to give “an explicit statement expressing their commitment to free speech principles” doesn’t quite cut it.
For instance, who will pay the high cost of security if a conservative speaker is threatened by a swarm of leftist hooligans on campus? Another important question for the UK government: is it now willing to lead by example by ending its own ridiculous and unjust ban of Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller from the country?
It is an attention-grabbing declaration from the UK government to “instruct universities” to defend free speech, but its announcement sounds little more than hot air, given its reputation of political correctness — from its own failure to protect free speech to its even worse failure to protect its own innocent children from Muslim rape gangs; not to mention its acceptance of human rights-violating sharia courts.
“British Government Will Instruct Universities To Defend Freedom of Speech”, by Tom Ciccotta, Breitbart, March 21, 2017:
In a move that could have wide-reaching implications on U.K. campuses, British universities will be instructed to uphold freedom of speech as a “legal duty.”
Jo Johnson, British Minister of State for Universities and Science has written to universities informing them that they will be expected to uphold free speech for their students, faculty, and visiting guests. The move is being described as a response to the rise of “safe spaces” and other forms of censorship in higher education.
According to Johnson, this means that the use of universities facilities cannot be “denied to any individual or body on any grounds connected with their beliefs or views, policy or objective.”
“As part of this, the government proposes to raise the issue of freedom of speech, with a view to ensuring that a principle underscoring the importance of free speech in higher education is given due consideration,” Johnson wrote.
He added that speech protections extend to premises occupied by student unions, even if those premises aren’t university-owned: “It is important to note that the duty extends to both the premises of the university and premises occupied by the students’ unions, even when they are not part of the university premises.”
Johnson claimed that all institutions will be expected to have an explicit statement expressing their commitment to free speech principles…..