Of the 17 university policies I looked at, only two give unconditional protection to freedom of speech, unqualified by any extraneous considerations. Visitors to the campus must also respect these values, relevant University policies, and applicable laws. Several universities also seem to have confused simple freedom of speech with academic freedom, by hedging freedom of speech with conditions appropriate only to academic freedom (Carleton again, McMaster again, and Trent). Both Ryerson and Wilfrid Laurier — coincidently where the most virulent protests against controversial speakers recently took place — adopted the notion of “inclusive freedom.” (Laurier credits Sigal R. Ben-Porath, author of Free Speech on Campus, with this Orwellian idea). It does not see the idea that free expression and the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion can be at odds with one another.

Source: National Post February 08, 2019 10:52 UTC