Neighbors turning in neighbors for wrong-think cultivates the habits of an unfree society. We shouldn’t train students to do it—and we certainly shouldn’t build hotlines for it.
I appreciate FIRE taking up this issue and particularly appreciate the subhead: "neighbors turning in neighbors for wrong-think cultivates the habits of an unfree society. We shouldn’t train students to do it—and we certainly shouldn’t build hotlines for it." As you write, this was an idea that originally found some favor as a way to avoid speech codes but has morphed into a problematic hedge on free speech. As the subhead previews, it also normalizes a kind of tattle-tale surveillance state that is destructive of a democratic community.
I note, though, that the examples you provide are of reports for a common set of "woke ideas" about police, vaccines, etc. While no doubt still relevant and concerning, I'd recommend naming some emerging issues, for example, around support for Palestine or anti-Zionist ideas, discussions about policies associated with DEI, or discussions of literature that may offend Conservative students.
I also think it's worth noting that the tattle-tale hotlines have also entered workplace culture in the invitation to government workers to report their colleagues for wrong-think or parents to report teachers, usually at the K-12 level, for comments that may have made their children uncomfortable. While workplaces represent slightly different situations, it is the culture of the hotline that is similar and worth calling out.
Well said. The UK is dealing with this full scale - let’s not turn into that.
Well said.
It is great that you are looking into this institutions that support suppression of speech and freedom
👏👏👏👏
I appreciate FIRE taking up this issue and particularly appreciate the subhead: "neighbors turning in neighbors for wrong-think cultivates the habits of an unfree society. We shouldn’t train students to do it—and we certainly shouldn’t build hotlines for it." As you write, this was an idea that originally found some favor as a way to avoid speech codes but has morphed into a problematic hedge on free speech. As the subhead previews, it also normalizes a kind of tattle-tale surveillance state that is destructive of a democratic community.
I note, though, that the examples you provide are of reports for a common set of "woke ideas" about police, vaccines, etc. While no doubt still relevant and concerning, I'd recommend naming some emerging issues, for example, around support for Palestine or anti-Zionist ideas, discussions about policies associated with DEI, or discussions of literature that may offend Conservative students.
I also think it's worth noting that the tattle-tale hotlines have also entered workplace culture in the invitation to government workers to report their colleagues for wrong-think or parents to report teachers, usually at the K-12 level, for comments that may have made their children uncomfortable. While workplaces represent slightly different situations, it is the culture of the hotline that is similar and worth calling out.