Carol Rose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, released the following in response to student demonstrations on Boston-area college campuses:
“In a democracy, it’s essential that universities remain a marketplace of ideas and expression – where viewpoints are explored and debate is encouraged. Indeed, the experience of our country’s universities during the McCarthy era makes clear that efforts to silence speech on campus destroy the foundation on which academic communities, and our democracy, are built.
“Of course, all students deserve equal access to education, free from discrimination based on religion, race, and ethnicity. Schools have a responsibility to keep students protected from violence and discrimination as well as from censorship.
“To that end, the ACLU urges campus administrators and law enforcement to exercise restraint in interfering with student demonstrations and encampments. Colleges and universities also must resist heavy-handed pressure from Congress and others to clamp down on student protest – even when issues are contentious – and remain firm in their commitment to free speech, open debate, and peaceful dissent on campus. The principles on which this country was founded demand no less.
“At the same time, we encourage students to obtain and review their schools’ policies regarding demonstrations and protests, and to otherwise know their rights.”
For questions regarding students' rights on public and private college campuses, go to: https://www.aclum.org/en/know-your-rights/free-speech-college-and-university-campuses-frequently-asked-questions
For more information about the ACLU of Massachusetts’ Free Expression Project, go to: https://www.aclum.org/en/free-expression-project
