Week 7 Nelofer Siddiqui

Reading this week's article, Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the way of campus activism, I have no other description for how I felt apart from disgust. The article describes the way that the students of Berkeley protested the school's ban on political activism on campus, and how the school responded to these students' breach of the rules. Throughout middle and high school, I've constantly been opposed to varying political opinions expressed by students openly at school. At my high school, we had liberal and conservative clubs. My school even facilitated political discussions about elections or other current events. It's baffling to me that a large, educational institution such as UC Berkeley would suppress political speech. I believe an important part of education is political education, and without exposure to politics and activism at college, life after will be a reality shock.

The response from the school to the students' activism was also shocking. Imperialism and militarism of schools were certainly at play in this event. In my opinion, the school was restricting the free speech of the students by having the rule against politics on campus in place. As I mentioned before, school is a place of learning and preparation for life. How can we as students be prepared for the real world if we aren't exposed to political discourse, the very thing that runs our and most other countries? If the response from the university is so hostile, what does that say about how free "free speech" really is?




Question: What exactly are the benefits (for the students themselves, not just the university) of restricting the free speech of students?

Cohen, R. (1985). Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the Way for Campus Activism. OAH Magazine of History. Retrieved November 05, 2017.

Downey, Duke. The Chronicle. Co. WGBH Boston. http://www.sfgate.com/tv/article/1964-review-Impacts-of-tumultuous-year-still-5132509.php#photo-5702875