Rice's free speech questioned
Michelle Jin
Issue date: 3/20/09 Section: News
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a non-profit organization that focuses on civil liberties in schools across the country, criticized Rice on March 9 for restricting freedom of expression in its Information Technology policy.
FIRE gave Rice a "red light" rating, and on its Web site, the group stated that "[a] red light institution has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech." In an article on Rice's protocols, FIRE cited a Rice IT policy, among five other policies, as an example that threatened free speech on campus.
The policy prohibits "[t]ransmitting unsolicited ... material which explicitly or implicitly refers to sexual conduct" and "[t]ransmitting ... unsolicited information that contains profane language or panders to bigotry, sexism, or other forms of prohibited discrimination."
According to FIRE, e-mails from organizations from a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender student group advertising a "coming out" event or from a group publicizing a speech by an opponent of illegal immigration could be deemed as inappropriate under this policy, and thus be blocked.
Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman said he disagreed with FIRE's claims on Rice's limit of the freedom of expression.
"FIRE takes a very narrow approach to the issue of free speech," Forman said. "In their view, if the policy allows one to imagine an abuse by an administrator that would inappropriately limit free speech, then that policy is as bad as an actual abuse."
On the contrary, Forman said, Rice is committed to promoting free speech even when people would find it controversial.
"Universities thrive on an atmosphere of free and open exchange of ideas, and that includes ideas that some might find distasteful," Forman said. "We believe in the principle that the best response to offensive speech is more speech. The university has a firm commitment to diversity, and diversity by its nature depends on an atmosphere in which all ideas are welcome."
FIRE gave Rice a "red light" rating, and on its Web site, the group stated that "[a] red light institution has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech." In an article on Rice's protocols, FIRE cited a Rice IT policy, among five other policies, as an example that threatened free speech on campus.
The policy prohibits "[t]ransmitting unsolicited ... material which explicitly or implicitly refers to sexual conduct" and "[t]ransmitting ... unsolicited information that contains profane language or panders to bigotry, sexism, or other forms of prohibited discrimination."
According to FIRE, e-mails from organizations from a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender student group advertising a "coming out" event or from a group publicizing a speech by an opponent of illegal immigration could be deemed as inappropriate under this policy, and thus be blocked.
Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman said he disagreed with FIRE's claims on Rice's limit of the freedom of expression.
"FIRE takes a very narrow approach to the issue of free speech," Forman said. "In their view, if the policy allows one to imagine an abuse by an administrator that would inappropriately limit free speech, then that policy is as bad as an actual abuse."
On the contrary, Forman said, Rice is committed to promoting free speech even when people would find it controversial.
"Universities thrive on an atmosphere of free and open exchange of ideas, and that includes ideas that some might find distasteful," Forman said. "We believe in the principle that the best response to offensive speech is more speech. The university has a firm commitment to diversity, and diversity by its nature depends on an atmosphere in which all ideas are welcome."
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Evan Mintz
posted 3/24/09 @ 12:55 AM CST
As the author of that 2006 Backpage, I can say that at no point did I ever feel censored or threatened by the administration. While at many other schools I would have been punished, Rice administration demonstrated a strong commitment to free expression, no matter how insulting, with the only regulators being fellow students. (Continued…)
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