Saturday, May 12, 2018

Watchdog takes UMich to court over 'subjective' speech code

Watchdog takes UMich to court over 'subjective' speech code
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  • Speech First, a national First Amendment advocacy group, has filed a lawsuit against the University of Michigan over its "highly subjective" policies restricting free speech.
  • The lawsuit contends that the school's disciplinary code is unconstitutionally broad because it imposes stiffer penalties for "unwanted negative attention" that administrators deem to be motivated by "bias."
...“The University of Michigan has a disciplinary code that prohibits ‘harassment’ and ‘bullying,’ and increases the penalties if such actions are motivated by ‘bias,’” the group explained in a press release. 
“As used, these concepts capture staggering amounts of protected speech and expression given that Michigan defines harassment as ‘unwanted negative attention perceived as intimidating, demeaning, or bothersome to an individual.’”
“Worse still, Michigan has created a Bias Response Team [BRT] that receives complaints of ‘bias’ and ‘bias incidents’ from offended students and is tasked with investigating and punishing those who commit offenses,” Speech First added.
...“We have an epidemic on our hands in the higher education system—universities are establishing rules and protocols that create a dangerous environment in which free speech protections under the First Amendment no longer exist,” she warned..."
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