Saturday, May 11, 2013

Another Reason Not To Go To College

The Department of Education has put forth a letter establishing a speech code to be applied to all colleges and universities. Since they know better than you do, here are some highlights:
Among the forms of expression now punishable on America's campuses by order of the federal government are:
  • Any expression related to sexual topics that offends any person. This leaves a wide range of expressive activity—a campus performance of "The Vagina Monologues," a presentation on safe sex practices, a debate about sexual morality, a discussion of gay marriage, or a classroom lecture on Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita—subject to discipline.
  • Any sexually themed joke overheard by any person who finds that joke offensive for any reason.
  • Any request for dates or any flirtation that is not welcomed by the recipient of such a request or flirtation.
There is likely no student on any campus anywhere who is not guilty of at least one of these "offenses." Any attempt to enforce this rule evenhandedly and comprehensively will be impossible.
Frankly I doubt that evenhanded enforcement was ever a consideration. Punishment would range from a letter of reprimand to expulsion.

From FIRE.

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