Universities Minister calls for free speech on university campuses

The University Minister, Jo Johnson, has called on the new Office for Students (OfS) to promote free speech in UK universities.

In a recent interview with the Times, Johnson argued that “no platforming and safe spaces should be used to shut down legitimate speech”. Mr Johnson furthered his point by stating that students need to “accept the legitimacy of healthy and vigorous debate,” due to the fact that that is how “ideas get tested, prejudices exposed and society advances.”

Spiked Magazine has been at the forefront of the freedom of speech debate, ranking every university’s policy in either a red, amber or green category.

Any university in the ‘red’ category is seen to “actively censor speech and expression.” To be seen as restricting Freedom of Speech, a university would have to actively block a speaker, newspaper or discipline student behaviour for what they deem “controversial”, among others, according to the magazine.

Safe space is not all bad. It stands as a forceful counterpoint to troubling trend’s in student life
Ian Dunt

Warwick University, over the last few years, has been challenged by Spiked Magazine on restricting free speech, and was given a red ranking.

One particular controversy arose regarding the Universities’ free speech policy when Warwick SU allegedly blocked speaker Maryam Namazie from speaking on campus. Ms Namazie was to be hosted by the Warwick Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society.

The event gained national news coverage, with many media outlets reporting that the speaker was blocked for her views. However, the SU said in a statement that the issue was that the society had not followed relevant SU procedures.

To bring a speaker on campus a three-week speaker form is required. This allows for preparation such as security and room bookings.

What exists is a climate of censorious quietude in universities. Things are simply not discussed.
Dennis Hayes

In conjunction with the 1997 Education Act, freedom of speech is guaranteed to all. Current NUS guidelines however, do ask student unions to “balance freedom of speech and freedom from harm”.

The University of Warwick’s policy guarantees that “the University will put in place mechanisms to ensure freedom of speech within the law.”

Universities, such as Warwick, state that they use Safe Space policies to protect students from offensive language and discrimination. The use of such policies could however, be seen as violating freedom of speech, as in the ‘safe spaces’ there cannot be any harm or discrimination to individuals, curbing free speech.

A journalist from the Guardian, Ian Dunt, pointed out that: “Safe space is not all bad. It stands as a forceful counterpoint to another troubling trend in student life, in which jokes about rape and racist fancy-dress costumes are almost a badge of honour.”

On the contrary, Dennis Hayes, director of Academics for Academic Freedom, argues that “What exists is a climate of censorious quietude in universities. Things are simply not discussed. Academics and students know what they should not discuss.”