fbpx
Breaking Campus News. Launching Media Careers.
Free speech groups scrutinize Univ. of Wisconsin speech codes

The University of Wisconsin System has fallen under the scrutiny of free speech groups for a policy that limits free speech on the UW System campuses.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education identified a UW System policy as limiting freedom of speech of faculty and students, also known as a speech code.

“FIRE defines a ‘speech code’ as any university policy prohibiting speech that, in society at large, would be protected by the First Amendment,” said FIRE’s Director of Speech Code Research Samantha Harris in an e-mail to The Badger Herald.

Harris said while the issue of speech codes at private universities is primarily a moral issue, public universities are legally required to protect their students’ First Amendment rights.

On FIRE’s website, the UW System received a red-light rating, indicating there is at least one campus policy that substantially restricts freedom of speech.

One policy listed was the UW System Board of Regents Racist and Other Discriminatory Conduct Policy.

The policy states “racist and other discriminatory conduct toward students, employees, officials, and guests in the University of Wisconsin System is conduct that will not be tolerated.”

Read the full story at the Badger Herald.

Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter

Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.