Is it free speech or is it limitation of rights?
On a number of campuses, an area declared the Free Speech Zone is the only place these controversial preachers can make their claim. Although many students are happy the brothers are confined, a new problem comes out when students find they are also restricted to the same area to speak on contentious issues.
Universities across the board have different regulations regarding their Free Speech Zones.
GCSU’s policy according to the student handbook is as follows:
“The Flagpole Plaza at the east end of the GCSU Front Lawn (the area on and immediately surrounding the circular concrete pad which holds the university flagpole and Olympic column) is the designated Free Speech Zone at GCSU. Free speech is celebrated on a public campuses and speakers who wish to speak at the Free Speech Zone may do so as long as they aren’t disrupting university business, abusing the rights of individuals or preventing pedestrians from getting to their destinations. Non-GCSU students, faculty or staff who wish to utilize the Free Speech Zone are asked to notify the Office of Student Affairs (478-445-5169) in advance to ask about conflicts and confirm the permitted location. The university does not limit speech based upon controversial content or the point of view of the speaker.”
University of Georgia’s Free Speech Zone policy is similar in nature to that of GCSU.
UGA’s system, regarding their zone, works like a restaurant reservation. If the location is reserved, then no one else may use it during the reserved time slot. If the area is open, the general public is welcome to speak.
“Anyone can use it. They don’t have to be a student,” said Don Reagin, UGA’s Marketing and Public Relations director. “A lot of the time, Recognized Student Organizations put stands out to recruit new members.”
As with GCSU, the Free Speech Zone at UGA is frequented by provocative religious enthusiasts that have no association with the school.
The student handbook addresses the rules regarding the zone.
“It is not actively promoted,” Reagin said.
Two issues keep critiques standing on opposite sides of the fence. On the positive side, many people feel that Free Speech Zones encourage a safe environment to protect the speaker. If controversial opinions are raised at a designated time and place, security can be provided to ensure the safety of the speakers.
On the negative side, the Free Speech Zone makes others, who do not feel the need for protection, believe their First Amendment rights are being limited to a certain time and space.
According to the judicial system, free speech is almost always permitted in a public forum. The prevailing question in the eyes of a court is: what is considered a public forum?
Since June, Valdosta State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, two public universities in Georgia, repealed their Free Speech Zones to encourage free speech throughout the entire campus. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a Philadelphia-based civil liberties group, has been a leading factor in these recent events. FIRE currently has a “Free Speech on Campus” project that encourages the elimination of Free Speech Zones.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Nov 14 2008. Filed under News.
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