Per their definition of "free speech" administrators are telling the truth when they say that their campuses are safe for free speech. Don't forget that, to them, offensive speech is not free speech and that the majority of what they disagree with is offensive.
Thanks for a careful analysis and understanding of the scientific premises and results of surveys and their statistical properties! I am saying this seriously, not sarcastically. Many journalists and consumers do not understand how surveys are developed and the parameters of what they can survey. I am a great fan, and have been for a while now, of the content and methods of FIRE sampling and surveys. While no self-report (asking individuals about their experiences) can be perfect or comprehensive by its nature, self-report is the “gold standard” for opinions and subjective experiences. FIRE samples from the people who are experiencing the effects of suppression and oppression of free speech (it is oppressive to all, by the way, to stop an expert or invited speaker from having the opportunity to share their views on campus; it’s not protest but aggression against the speaker and those who invited the speaker). Whether I would have the “same” (it’s never the same between individual perceptions, btw) views as an undergraduate student or an administrator or a graduate student, does not matter. Asking about the experiences and views of the individual who are affected by campus policies, rules, and regulations is the best approach to take on the issues of free expression. Part of the BIG problem with trying to govern someone else’s speech, instead of self-governance of our own speech, is that we cannot know their experience or history. We have to let others speak for themselves if we want fairness, compassion, kindness and equality to guide our principles in education. FIRE has done a magnificent job in standing up to the media bullies and explaining the science of the survey methods they use. Bravo!
Journalism schools have turned into Social Justice training institutes and they have infiltrated/infected all areas of media. God, I’m sounding like a right -winger here.
Does anyone read TIME any more? Keep beating the drum!
Per their definition of "free speech" administrators are telling the truth when they say that their campuses are safe for free speech. Don't forget that, to them, offensive speech is not free speech and that the majority of what they disagree with is offensive.
Thanks for a careful analysis and understanding of the scientific premises and results of surveys and their statistical properties! I am saying this seriously, not sarcastically. Many journalists and consumers do not understand how surveys are developed and the parameters of what they can survey. I am a great fan, and have been for a while now, of the content and methods of FIRE sampling and surveys. While no self-report (asking individuals about their experiences) can be perfect or comprehensive by its nature, self-report is the “gold standard” for opinions and subjective experiences. FIRE samples from the people who are experiencing the effects of suppression and oppression of free speech (it is oppressive to all, by the way, to stop an expert or invited speaker from having the opportunity to share their views on campus; it’s not protest but aggression against the speaker and those who invited the speaker). Whether I would have the “same” (it’s never the same between individual perceptions, btw) views as an undergraduate student or an administrator or a graduate student, does not matter. Asking about the experiences and views of the individual who are affected by campus policies, rules, and regulations is the best approach to take on the issues of free expression. Part of the BIG problem with trying to govern someone else’s speech, instead of self-governance of our own speech, is that we cannot know their experience or history. We have to let others speak for themselves if we want fairness, compassion, kindness and equality to guide our principles in education. FIRE has done a magnificent job in standing up to the media bullies and explaining the science of the survey methods they use. Bravo!
Good article. Thanks.
When FIRE started taking non-student cases, I was concerned about mission creep. My fears were apparently unfounded.
The last guy to trust Time Magazine was a dude named Hans Gruber and we saw how that worked out for him.
America is fucked.
Next project should rank journalism schools on the education indoctrination sliding scale for their product being unleashed on the world.
And alleged 'journalism mags/rags like Time.
Journalism schools have turned into Social Justice training institutes and they have infiltrated/infected all areas of media. God, I’m sounding like a right -winger here.
Honestly using the ADL skews this. They believe any criticism of Zionism as a whole equals antisemitism which is absolute bunk.
They’re very likely counting those cases