Student suspended for e-mail in which he states his opinion

DGTess · #1 10-15-2007, 06:02 PM

Please present your thoughts on this freedom-of-speech issue:

http://www.thefire.org/index.php/art...ab4bb46400d25c

Kevin · #2 10-15-2007, 06:13 PM

He's free to say what he wants. Freedom of speech is only a prohibition against governmental interference in the realm of ideas.

The government is not acting on his rights, the school, a private entity as far as I can tell is. He has to accept the consequences of his speech. If you tick the wrong people off, they'll no longer want to do business with you. That appears to be the case here. The school is free to admit and expel anyone they wish to.

UGAalum94 · #3 10-15-2007, 06:51 PM

I think there's more there than meets the eye.

If the facts of the case are only that he sent an email about students carrying weapons and in response, he was suspended until he had a mental health evaluation, I'd be pretty quick to condemn the college (although as Kevin notes, it doesn't seem to be a constitutional issue, if it's a private college, as much as a issue of the college administrators being hypocritical idiots for having a policy in one place advocating free expression, but in reality, suspending and requiring evaluation of those whose expression is not what they wanted to hear.)

But if you're the guy who responds to the email about counseling being available in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings with an email that mixes carrying concealed weapons in with critiques of affirmative action in admissions (and other random complaints in the second email apparently), I think there is a chance that you are a wack job, and the college is merely protecting other students by requiring your evaluation.

The failure to recognize the inappropriateness of the context for your grocery list of complaints against the college points to something being off, it would seem to me.

Although even so, I think the college handled things super poorly. They should have met with the guy in person first, at least, to see what the deal was.

James · #4 10-15-2007, 09:09 PM

I think a private college that receives any public funding may have to be more forgiving of freedom of speech issues. Not sure though.

UGAalum94 · #5 10-15-2007, 10:45 PM

Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from any consequence from anyone. It's not a right to talk smack like a crazy person with absolute impunity, as far as I know.

If your speech makes people think you are nuts, as it seems like this guys might have honestly made people wonder, your school or employer may want to make sure you aren't actually crazy, especially post Virginia Tech.

He was suspended until he was evaluated, right? So get evaluated quickly, and go back to sending annoying emails to administrators not really responsible for handling your litany of complaints and comments.

This case doesn't seem up to FIRE's usual standards of substance.

MysticCat · #6 10-16-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James

I think a private college that receives any public funding may have to be more forgiving of freedom of speech issues. Not sure though.

Nope. Kevin is right -- freedom of speech means that the government cannot infringe upon one's right to speak freely.

And UGAalum94 is right as well. Freedom of speech, as a matter of governmental interference or control, does not extend to "fighting words," to shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater (to use the classic example), or to obscenity.