When students head off to college for the first time, they expect freedom. Whether that’s freedom from their parents’ rules, to pursue their dreams, or even to get absolutely wasted, it’s freedom that every bright-eyed teen believes he or she will get.
For most, they get that freedom, but why then is it that public and private schools restrict the freedom of speech? And why does the government have to sign state legislation to protect freedom of speech and expression on campus?
Back when the Founding Fathers were drafting the First Amendment, they would hardly believe that more than 200 years later, the governor of Florida would be signing a bill, the Excellence in Higher Education Act, which enforces free speech in its public places of higher learning. Even harder to believe would be how this has become a trend for many governors in states across the nation.
To the Founding Fathers, liberty was second only to God in worship, which is something not to be taken for granted after blood was shed, freeing itself from the British Empire. Years after the heroes of America dipped their quill in ink to sign the document that would ensure such freedoms to its people, the pen would rise again to enforce it.
For those who believe in free speech and limited government, the belief is that the government’s main job is to keep its citizens safe and ensure such freedoms. So why should we be worried about government intervention into the protection of free speech?
Simply put, they should not have to enforce freedoms that were written at the birth of the U.S., as all should simply understand that they are inalienable rights. It may be a rare case of government intervention gone right, but we should be concerned that it will set a precedent of the state having to write more legislation that affects the person.
Furthermore, it shows how free speech is not as respected as it should be. In a modern age, we should no longer have to be concerned about censorship, political imprisonment, and such acts which occur in the most nondemocratic of countries. Whilst the First Amendment set the terms of free speech, we expect institutions both in and out of federal reach to uphold this, as well as its people to do the same. Though such blatant disregard for these freedoms comes at the peril of the censor, it remains that any legal or legislative action, like the Excellence bill, should not occur.
Only nine states have laws protecting free speech at college. Students enrolled at the public universities of the other 41 states have not received such protection of their rights. The First Amendment, and the liberty in which America was founded on, should be enough protection, regardless of the political opinions of campus faculty and administrators.
