The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has announced that Westfield State College in Massachusetts has won the dishonorable “Speech Code of the Month” distinction. This badge of “honor” is given to colleges and universities that restrict free speech through “speech codes,” or university policies that restrict freedom of speech.
FIRE’s Director of Speech Code Research Samantha Harris explains which aspects of Westfield’s code restrict free speech:
“Westfield’s Student Handbook prohibits ‘discrimination,’ which it defines to include ‘making disparaging remarks that insult or stigmatize a student’s cultural background or race’ as well as ‘making insensitive remarks that reflect a student’s disability.’”
She also notes that as a public university, Westfield is bound by the first amendment, a fact that the school openly acknowledges.
FIRE provides resources to aid schools interested in bringing their policies in line with the Bill of Rights with a new guide published on its website. Perhaps Westfield State College should check it out.
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