Worried your professor might penalize you for your opinions in class? The University of Pennsylvania is working on that, the Daily Pennsylvanian reports:
Penn’s Committee on Open Expression, which aims to improve communication across campus, is currently working closely with the Undergraduate Assembly to promote free expression in the classroom.
The UA will collect data this year from the student body to analyze current perceptions of free speech in the learning environment.
It may not extend to speech across campus – one of the committee members also heads the undergraduate assembly’s social justice committee – but that official is promising students the committee will “heed their complaints regarding infringement upon open and free expression.”
The results of the data collection will go on Penn Course Review, which publishes student evaluations on professors and classes, says committee chair and law professor Stephanos Bibas:
Bibas shared his own experience teaching at Penn’s Law School and said that compromised free speech is an issue typically associated with classes in particular areas.
“That’s not going to be an issue in some theoretical physics class,” Bibas said, “but in some of the politics classes, absolutely, controversial issues need to come out from all different sides.”
Bibas teaches a criminal justice class, which frequently touches on controversial topics such as race in the criminal justice process.
“I shouldn’t be afraid to put some of the controversial topics out there,” Bibas said. “And I have to create the environment for students to talk about all kinds of issues on the table without thinking they’re being penalized because they take up an unpopular position.”
Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter
IMAGE: NoFreeSpeech/Flickr
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.