Academic speech bill kindles left-vs.-right debate (FL)

[DoYouEverWonder]

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

House Education Committee Chairman Dennis Baxley is pushing legislation that Florida's university professors say will curb free speech in the classroom and limit their ability to discuss controversial subjects.

Although the bill states that professors have the right to academic freedom, it also says students should not "be infringed upon by instructors who persistently introduce controversial matter into the classroom that has no relation to the subject of study and serves no (teaching) purpose." The bill would not affect private colleges and universities.

Baxley, an Ocala Republican, argues that House Bill 837 is not about stopping free speech but rather about protecting conservative viewpoints in universities, which he believes have become liberal strongholds that sometimes bully right-leaning students.

"There is no question that our university culture has fostered liberalism and people of moderate and conservative views are intimidated," said Baxley, who as a student at Florida State University said he sometimes felt persecuted for his conservative views. "I'm for academic free speech for everyone, not just for the leftists."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/epaper/2005/03/08/m1a_freespeech_0308.html

[Melodybe]

1. Awe people with degrees make your head hurt

we have to fight this, there is word of this at the University of MS too.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. According to the article, there are at least 10 states

where these so called 'Students for Academic Freedom' are pulling this crap.

"The bill was crafted from a template legislation promoted by the national conservative group Students for Academic Freedom. Similar bills have been filed in at least 10 other states. Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, filed legislation matching Baxley's bill Monday."

[Crunchy Frog]

3. The same shit that they're trying to pull

here in Colorado. It's about destroying academic freedom in the name of preserving academic freedom.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Here's a link to their website

http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org/

I wonder whose funding this crew?

edit: Here's a little more info. Interesting, that they can afford an office on K Street?


Sara Dogan (formerly Sara Russo)
National Campus Director
Students for Academic Freedom

Attn: Sara Dogan
Students for Academic Freedom
1411 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005

Plus a little more info:

Founded: by David Horowitz in June 2003
National Campus Director: Sara Dogan (formerly Sara Russo)
Affiliated with: David Horowitz, Center for the Study of Popular Culture, and Frontpagemag.com.

[darkism]

4. Universities are all we have left.

I'm relieved to attend a liberal (and Catholic, whoa!) university. It's one place where I KNOW I'm a majority. Let the freepers attend Bob Jones University and frolic with their own kind. Real universities will always belong to liberal academia because we have the capability to THINK ABOUT and ANALYSE the issues and see that conservatives are, quite simply, wrong about everything.

~edit for grammar. Exam in 9 hours + fatigue = not good for posting~

[FlemingsGhost]

5. As long as we're fighting each other, the overlords can pillage.

"Mission Accomplished."

And, how! ...

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. This is a major problem. I think we'll soon have a Forum for it.

It looks like we may soon have a new Forum on First Amendment issues. I'm hoping for a name something like:
Free Internet/ Free Press/ First Amendment Issues
But the name has not been settled and it is not 100% certain that this will happen.

If/when it does, the discussion of this issue will fit there very well. The encroachment is insidious and must be fought relentlessly.

Edited to add: Recommended

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. reemmber it was student movements

taht led the way in German universities in the 1930s, (Quit it) and also in Chinese universities in the 1960s... Need I mention the taliban by the way?

True believers are scared by freedom in academia

[enki23]

9. do you think they'd be also oppose displays of the ten commandments

on government grounds?

[Iterate]

10. The K-12 version of this group

is less full of platitudes, more to the point in stating their agenda. Articles such as "How I Changed My Left Wing High School" (didn't know there was such a thing) and "Eco-Terrorist Recruit 2nd Graders" fill the pages.

You know, on my best/worst day I don't think I could have made that up.

Unless this group is asking the University to offer advanced degrees in creation astronomy, I'd say they're trying to give university administrators another club they can use on the faculty. Maybe they would also like to undercut the 1st amendment by claiming a right to not "not be upset or challenged" in the 9th.

[Barkley]

11. Newt: Proof that you're anti-American Should be Grounds for Dismissal

"We ought to say to campuses, it's over. We should say to state legislatures, why are you making us pay for this? Boards of regents are artificial constructs of state law. Tenure is an artificial social construct. Tenure did not exist before the 20th century, and we had free speech before then. You could introduce a bill that says, proof that you're anti-American is grounds for dismissal."

rynemcclaren.typepad.com/ blog/2005/02/yadayadayadaten.html

[Scurrilous]

12. A Student for Academic Freedom:

"My Mama says that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush."

[Freedom_from_Chains]

13. More nationalism being legislated

"Baxley, an Ocala Republican, argues that House Bill 837 is not about stopping free speech but rather about protecting conservative viewpoints in universities"

It's about stopping free speach.

[Skidmore]

14. I don't understand how in the one party state we have now

that people who believe in the policies and whatevers of the party in power believe themselves to be a persecuted minority.

[phylny]

15. No kidding. I was thinking that anyone who is now in college

and considers themselves "intimidated" needs to get the hell out of college and go back to high school to do some growing up.

What happens when these people get into the work force? Will we need laws to protect them from "intimidation" then?

[xchrom]

16. no, those are the little money grubbing, no original

thought in their heads, right wing robots the corporations want.

right wing nationalists serve the interests of the corporate elite.
with knee pads on.

[Jim__]

17. ...the universe was created through the big-bang theory...

From the article:

For example, Baxley said this bill would prevent an astronomy professor from telling students they shouldn't believe in God because the universe was created through the big-bang theory, not a divine entity.


And they wonder why they can't find jobs as university professors.

[DeepModem Mom]

18. kick

[msongs]

19. Hmm private schools are being left out...........christian schools......

nice to know that the private schools will be able to preach the white racist christian klan and nazi party line with complete freedom.

if they dont already.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm