Speech Codes On College Campuses
Speech Codes on College Campuses
The implementation of speech codes on college campuses in America has generated many debates regarding their validity in a democratic society. Since colleges are a diverse community where students interact not only in the classroom, but also at the student center and dormitories, speech codes have been put into place to protect thoughs individuals or groups who have historically been vulnerable to criticism and harassment. This supposedly creates a peaceful, protected environment for the students as they prepare for a career and a future in the real world. Despite the good intentions of those who implement speech codes, the freedom to think and express one's views no matter how unpopular thoughs views may be, is an essential component to any college campus.
The number one argument against speech codes would be that they violate our First Amendment right to free speech. Threatened by speech codes, students and professors will be afraid to speak their minds in class. Speech codes invite more trouble than they are worth because speech codes create selective speech. A college is a place where students should be able to talk and think about anything to further their education. When you are limited to what you can talk about, you stifle the mind. Speech codes create an artificial learning environment that
prevents students from learning the realities of the real world and it's many diversities.
There is no greater place to live or to educate than in a democratic nation. However,
Troli 2
because of the First Amendment, there have been times on college campuses where students have been harassed, humiliated and scarred by words or symbols. Unfortunately, due to pressure groups, colleges have adapted speech codes which burden not only students but also professors who are forced to be politically correct or they could face loss of tenure and even threatened with law suits for their...
View Full Essay