Our sister university, the University of Salford, has recently come under fire for their policies on trans and non-binary equality. As a consequence, it was hit with a penalty earlier this year. The Office for Students (OfS) was clear that these policies create a dangerous “chilling effect” on freedom of speech. This announcement should be deeply alarming to students, scholars, and citizens everywhere. Universities need to get ready for a new law which will impose much harsher responsibilities on free speech and academic freedom starting this coming summer. This law will have historic implications on the ivory towers of higher education in England.
Dr. Arif Ahmed from the OfS emphasized that exposure to views that students might find offensive is essential for their educational development. He remarked, “You should expect to face views you might find shocking or offensive, and you should be aware that’s part of the process of education.” His remarks come at a key inflection point. The need for free speech and open exchange on campus has never been more critical.
The upcoming legislation aims to ensure that universities foster an environment where any subject can be freely discussed or taught. This change is a strong re-affirmation of AASHTO’s most important principle. Academic institutions should be arenas where all ideas, including the most challenging and discomforting, are explored.
Students at the University of Salford, like Paris and Marie-Louise, have expressed their views on the importance of respectful discourse. Paris noted, “It’s important to be able to express your emotions and feelings without being disrespectful.” Marie-Louise was no less emphatic in agreeing with this point. She pointed out that it does not give you the right to be a jerk or be out of order. Their insights reflect a growing awareness among students about the balance between expressing personal views and maintaining respect for differing opinions.
The context of this discussion reaches well beyond the borders of Salford. Recent high-profile cases involving academics have brought to the forefront these anti-free speech tensions within universities. Professor Jo Phoenix won a constructive dismissal case against the Open University after a tribunal determined she faced harassment due to her gender-critical views. Kathleen Stock announced her resignation from the University of Sussex, and Scotland to give LGBT asylum seekers […] Her withdrawal followed nationwide protests inspired by her radical views.
Dr. Ahmed’s comments on academic freedom resonate amid these incidents, as he stated that universities cannot terminate a lecturer solely for expressing a viewpoint. Polling conducted for the OfS reveals a troubling trend: one-fifth of academics feel constrained in discussing controversial topics during their teaching. This staggering statistic highlights the difficulty educators will have in educating around and addressing the complicated nature of free speech, especially in academic environments.
Today, Universities UK has taken the matter to its fullest logical conclusion on this vital point by calling on institutions to protect and promote free speech. As the independent nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom explains, public universities must be places where all ideas—especially competing viewpoints—can flourish without the danger of retaliation or censorship.
A second employment tribunal is just around the corner. It will address a personal case from another academic, who says he was constructively dismissed when students started boycotting his classes because of his position on racial diversity programs. This case is yet another example of the toxic atmosphere free speech currently lives in on our campuses.
