‘Academic Bill of Rights’ needed to protect students

I am writing in response to the article and editorial that were run in the March 1 issue about the new “academic bill of rights.” Though the front page article itself presented a pretty fair and balanced view of the story, the picture caption and the editorial were obviously written by someone who has never read the bill in question.

The “academic bill of rights” in no way intends to limit the speech of the professors of this or any university. Instead, it is meant to open the avenues of free speech to students and faculty alike. The bill in no way prohibits controversial issues from being presented in class.

Instead it prevents topics “substantially unrelated” to the course from being presented. So Dr Pigg, Darwin is not substantially unrelated to cellular biology; however the political viewpoints of the professor are and therefore have no place in the biology classroom.

The purpose of this bill is to give students that have opposing religious and political viewpoints the confidence and the right to stand up to a professor and their grade not suffer for it. It ensures that in the same way a professor and a school cannot discriminate against a student, in grades or financial aide, because that student is African American they cannot discriminate against a student whose political and religious viewpoints differ from their own.

This is not a bill limiting the freedom of speech but expanding it and giving students a stronger voice within the classroom.

Will Binkley Business Management Clarksville