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| Photo by Alexus Clanton of one of the locations where students and organize and assemble |
By: Gwendolin Schemm, Alexus Clanton, Reggie Simon, Chelsea Parrinello
FROSTBURG, MD - Having the right to freedom of speech is like being able to add color in a world that is black and white. Freedom of speech encompasses a variety of liberties: expression of likes, and the expression of dislikes.
On college campuses across the country, the freedom of speech often clashes with community order and the ability to express yourself freely.
Frostburg State University’s Director of Student Conduct Carl Crowe states that the right to free speech only becomes an issue when speech becomes disruptive to education. He mentions that this coincides with students lack of understand of what free speech actually is.
What is Free Speech?
Free speech was granted to all American citizens in 1789 when James Madison proposed 10 amendments that now make up the U.S. Bill of Rights. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.”
- Not speak
- To wear armbands to school to protest war
- To use certain offensive words as well as phrases to convey political messages
- Contribute money to political campaigns
- Advertise commercial products and professional services
- Engage in symbolic speech
Protecting Rights on College Campuses
According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 dedicated to protecting students’ liberties in educational settings, describes the purpose of a university as, “to educate students and advance the frontiers of human knowledge, and does so by acting as a ‘marketplace of idea’ where ideas compete.” In FIRE’s opinion, American colleges and universities should value and protect the right to freedom of speech as it is vital to intellectual competition.
To learn more about FIRE’s mission, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNxjkNpljKs
FIRE is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of both students and faculty on college campuses across the country.
FIRE rates over 400 of the top colleges and universities in America on their college speech policies. The rating is their opinion on the degree to which free speech is limited or restricted at the a particular institution.
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Graph by FIRE
In 2016, FIRE rated 6% of colleges and universities with green speech codes, 48% with yellow speech codes, and 45% with red speech codes
Frostburg State University fits right into the 48% that received a yellow speech code rating. Yellow light school have policies that restrict more than a limited amount of speech or expression and because of the unclear wording communicated in the policy, it could be used to curtail free speech. In addition, yellow speech code ratings look how how much the policy is applied when addressed with a threat to free speech. FIRE gave yellow speech policy ratings to Frostburg State University for their policies about: posting and distribution, harassment, and protest and demonstration. In June of 2017, FIRE gave Frostburg State University’s policy, University Standards of Personal and Group Conduct - Harassment, a green speech code rating. Unfortunately, the University still maintains a yellow speech code rating overall.
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Protection of Free Speech on Frostburg State University’s Campus
Similarly to most college campuses, Frostburg State University upholds a student-conduct policy regarding the use of free speech towards obstruction or disruption in educational settings. The Community Standards Policy Statements highlights the University’s policy towards the obstruction of the rights of others: “The University is committed to the maintenance of freedom of speech, press, expression, association, and access to the established educational facilities and processes. At the same time, the University will not tolerate willful efforts of individuals or groups to limit the exercise of those freedoms by others or to disrupt the normal processes by which the University fulfills its educational mission.”
Although the University does not have a written speech code, the Community Standards Policy Statements protect the right to freedom of speech. Editor-in-Chief of the campus’ newspaper, The Bottom Line, Nicole Leighty stated that he campus also offers three designated areas for organizations, both on and off campus, to exercise their right to free speech. The three places are the Clock Tower, the Echo Circle and the traffic divider between the Lewis J. Ort Library and the Chesapeake Dining Hall.
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| Photo by: Reggie Simon Students in the Echo Circle Advertising for the humane society |
Frostburg State University - Are freedom of speech rights limited?
According to the American Federation of Teachers, the foundation of academic freedom is built on the idea that free exchange of ideas on a college campus is essential for education.
Crowe has a seen a general slide to students understanding what free speech is and noted that Frostburg State students often define hate speech as “anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.” However, Crowe highlighted that there is a difference between exercising an individual's right to free speech versus preventing others from exercising theirs.
Crowe recommends that professors and students craft what they say.
Dr. Kevin Kehrwald, a professor in the English Department at Frostburg State University, stated, “Freedom of speech, in my profession, means being able to teach at my own free will and not feel limited in what I can and cannot say. I have never felt limited in what I can say. The only time I ever feel censored is when I censor myself.” He continues to add that he encourages his students to express themselves freely and without limitation but he can also understand why students do not disclose all of their beliefs in a classroom setting. |
| Photo by Gwendolin Schemm of the traffic divider between the cafeteria and library where students are free to assemble |
Various students defined their freedom of speech to mean that “they can say what they want when they want.”
The setting and those surrounding an individual also constitutes what type of speech is acceptable. Multiple individuals, both students and professors, highlighted that if they are comfortable in the environment and those surrounding them, they are more likely to speak freely. For example, Frostburg State University learning specialist, Latisha Cooper said, “Depending on who my students are I determine what I say, most of my students I have known for a very long time so we laugh and joke all the time so with them I don’t really censor myself. One because my mouth is not foul and two because if I happen to say something not appropriate but as a joke I will just make it so my specific student can hear me.”
Reporting the truth has been the goal for Frostburg State University’s campus newspaper, The Bottom Line. Former editor-in-chief of the school’s accredited newspaper, Brad Kroner, said,
“Whether stories were controversial wasn’t really a consideration for me. It was our job to shine a light on these issues and how they impacted students.”
Leighty, the current editor-in-chief, backs Kroner up and continues the promise of reporting the truth. Both highlighted that they never considered censoring a story and when faced with criticism as a result of a controversial piece, stood by it as it was the truth.
Leighty summed it up by saying, “Your First Amendment rights are your First Amendment rights.”
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