Universities that allow students to ban controversial speakers could face fines for failing to protect free speech
(Note: This article is about the U.K.)
Germaine Greer told Cambridge Union debating society at Cambridge University (pictured) that she did not know there was such thing as transphobia
-Jo Johnson said it is 'preposterous' certain speakers are banned
-The Universities minister to say free speech cannot be stifled
-Newly created Office for Students said it will 'promote' free speech 'vigirously'
Universities that allow students to ban controversial speakers could be fined for not preserving free speech, the Government will announce today.
Jo Johnson, the universities minister, said protests over speakers such as Germaine Greer were ‘preposterous’ and the prominent feminist has ‘every right’ to speak.
He will say that the newly-created Office for Students will have the power to fine, suspend or even blacklist institutions for failing to protect free speech.
‘Freedom of speech is a fundamentally British value which is undermined by a reluctance of institutions to embrace healthy vigorous debate,’ he will say.
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‘Our universities must open minds not close them. Our young people and students need to accept the legitimacy of healthy vigorous debate in which people can disagree with one another.
That’s how ideas get tested, prejudices exposed and society advances.
‘Universities mustn’t be places in which free speech is stifled.’
I have a feeling that there's a lot more to this story than appears in this article-- hopefully more details will be revealed shortly.
Obviously that is a lot more important in Great Britain than it is in the USA, with its "First Amendment".