Campus Speech

Texas lawmakers to hold hearings on suppression of opposing voices

College campuses across the nation have come under scrutiny by conservatives over what they see as liberal restrictions on free speech. We must say we can see where they are coming from.

The ideal for a campus is the free exchange of ideas and tolerance for opposing views. But that seems to be far from what’s happening these days.

On many college campuses conservative views are treated with contempt. Speakers who do not toe the liberal line are shouted down and faculty who dare speak out in favor of views not seen as politically correct come under fire, including calls for them to be fired. Students are often afraid to contribute either in class or in student publications if their opinions don’t follow what is perceived as “acceptable.”

“Trigger warnings,” “safe spaces” and concerns over “microaggressions” divide students, faculty and administrators alike. Some worry that minorities must be protected from such “trauma.” Others say the current trend coddles students from marginalized groups and leaves them unprepared for the real world.

In our view college campuses should welcome opposing views, not try to drown them out. You don’t learn anything by limiting your information only to what you already believe. You don’t learn to rationally deal with others—even those with views that border on or even embrace the repugnant—by shutting your ears and shouting them down. You can’t effectively combat hate and intolerance with hate and intolerance.

Later this month, The Texas Senate’s State Affairs Committee will hold hearings and hear testimony at Texas State University in San Marcos regarding free speech on campus—or the lack of it.

The stated goal of the committee is to explore “any restrictions on Freedom of Speech rights that Texas students face in expressing their views on campus along with freedoms of the press, religion, and assembly.”

After the hearing, the committee will “recommend policy changes that protect First Amendment rights and enhance the free speech environment on campus.”

We don’t know how this will go. We can’t predict whether or not lawmakers will swing too far from one side to the other and recommend extreme measures that severely restrict marches or protests. That should not happen. Students should be free to discuss, debate, disagree and even demonstrate, but not to force silence. But we are interested in the hearings and recommendations. Maybe—just maybe—they can come up with something that respects the rights of all sides.