Universities are indispensable for a free and prosperous society. Their mission depends on a campus culture of free expression and intellectual diversity. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) seeks to hold American colleges and universities accountable to their missions. ACTA now provides a blueprint to help higher education regain…

Freedom of speech, protected by our Constitution, has long been a vital component of political, social, and intellectual life in our country. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has dedicated itself for more than 23 years to working with trustees to ensure that our nation's colleges and universities preserve this essential freedom…

At the start of 2018, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) was approached by the parliamentary Joint Committee for Human Rights (JCHR) to conduct an independent piece of research into the efficacy of university codes of practice on freedom of speech. The research formed part of the evidence base for the JCHR's 2017/18 inquiry into whether…

In today's contentious and divided political environment, what should colleges and universities do to meet the roles and responsibilities of higher education to foster the campus community we want? This guide presents three options for deliberation about difficult problems regarding free speech and inclusion--for which there are no perfect…

The issue of freedom of speech on college and university campuses has captured the interest of the nation and attracted considerable media attention. As board members and institutional leaders address the difficult questions that arise in relation to this controversial issue, they need to balance the competing tensions between individual freedom…

A parent brings a cyber bullying incident to your attention and expects you to resolve it. What are the students' rights and your responsibilities according to the law? Because the laws regarding disciplinary action are still evolving, this manual fills the gap by providing public school leaders with data-driven solutions for managing cyber…

Since its first publication in 2005, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has distributed more than 138,000 print and online copies of its "Guide to Free Speech on Campus." In that time, FIRE's commitment to advocating on behalf of the essential rights discussed in the pages that follow has remained unwavering;…

Argues that news media today is dominated by style rather than substance, citing the O.J. Simpson trial as an example. Points out that although respondents to surveys repeatedly said that the trial received too much coverage, the massive coverage continued. (PA)

Reviews the implications of the Supreme Court decision in "Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser." Schools must still comply with First Amendment and may not restrict student speech without valid reason. The maintenance of school order and the protection of rights of others are valid reasons. Speech is not immunized by the…

When threatened with censorship, educators can call upon the National Coalition against Censorship (NCAC), a nonpartisan, nonprofit corporation uniting a broad range of professional, educational, artistic, labor, civil rights, and religious groups in their common conviction that freedom of thought, inquiry, and expression must be defended. NCAC…

Argues that writing instructors must balance the harm students' words might do to themselves and their audiences against respect for their right to hold and express aberrant opinions. Suggests the scales be weighted toward the students' best interests and away from the teachers' political or ideological agendas. (NH)

Discusses the right to freedom of speech as it applies to the high school newspaper. Proposes guidelines to be followed by newspaper staff members when covering a controversial story. (FL)

The issue of freedom of the alumni press is explored in terms of the nature of freedom of the press, the institution's use of and need for alumni publications, pressures on alumni editors, and the future responsibilities of the alumni press. (JMF)

Describes a college counselor's efforts to reason with a student singing a Guns and Roses' song vilifying African Americans and homosexuals. Many individuals lack the historical knowledge, concern, or empathy to appreciate the destructive power of such lyrics. First Amendment rights are threatened by the academic community's silent assent to…

The milestone decision ("Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District") limiting school authorities' restraints on student speech, does not apply to curriculum-related newspaper. In "Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988), the Supreme Court upheld as constitutional the principal's censorship of a high school…