Free Speech at University
If you know anything about free speech, it’s that it is not always as free as you may initially assume and it’s not as prevalent as many people would like. As The Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR) have recently revealed, campus censorship in universities isn’t going away anytime soon.
Is Free Speech at University on the Decline?
The FSUR is the fourth annual report on free speech in the UK academy by spiked and 115 universities where ranked. Using a traffic light system, each institution was ranked on how much they actively censor speech. Of these 115 universities, 55% of them actively censor speech. Another 39% stifle speech through excessive regulation. Out of all of the universities looked at, only 6% have truly free speech. The FSUR also showed that restrictions on speech seemed to be increasing in some areas. For example, nearly half of all universities ranked now actively attempt to censor or downplay critical speech in relation to religion and transgenderism.
According to government guidance, consistently not platforming people could hinder free speech on campus and therefore is something that shouldn’t take place. However, this doesn’t always happen. Though student unions are able to freely choose whether or not they want to host speakers, placing a complete ban on certain groups that hold a particular political view could go against free speech laws in England and Wales.
Guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the National Union of Students and the Home Office among others has been given in response to the debate on free speech on campuses. It highlights that though a student union is allowed to not invite a speaker based on their views, it should avoid placing a ban on them altogether. Additionally, the guidance stated that universities should not allow student complaints to censor the content of a course. Though, exceptions should be base for any speech that breaks the law. For example, speech that would create religious or racial hatred.
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