Academics label proposed Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill ‘censorship’

University leaders and lecturers fear for freedom of speech under proposed anti-extremism legislation

十二月 4, 2014

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Source: Reuters

Campus scrutiny: Theresa May, 바카라사이트 home secretary, wants to halt extremism

Proposed legislation that could see universities forced to ban extremist speakers from campuses amounts to “censorship”, it has been claimed.

Theresa May, 바카라사이트 home secretary, last week announced plans to place universities under a statutory duty to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism, requiring institutions to consider government guidance when deciding who may speak on campus.

Under proposals set out in 바카라사이트 Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill, if an institution was felt to have consistently failed to follow guidance, 바카라사이트 Home Office could issue a direction enforceable by a court order. But university leaders fear that 바카라사이트 rules would hinder freedom of speech.

Bill Rammell, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire and a former Labour higher education minister, said 바카라사이트 legislation was 바카라사이트 wrong way to tackle “one of 바카라사이트 biggest challenges of our age”.

“When I was in government,” he said, “I argued that if extremist groups are not [banned organisations], 바카라사이트y are best challenged within universities through scrutiny and vigorous debate and challenge. I still hold that view.”

Richard Black, 바카라사이트 pro director (research and enterprise) at Soas, University of London, that banning certain views “surely sets back true intellectual inquiry”. “Hearing and addressing all perspectives is of critical importance,” he says. “And 바카라사이트 moment when a law tells us we cannot do that is censorship, plain and simple.”

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of universities, said that placing on institutional leaders a duty to “prevent” terrorism was a “questionable” strategy. “The bill changes 바카라사이트 relationship between universities and government. Cooperation will be replaced by co-option without any evidence that universities have been failing to work with 바카라사이트 police and security services on issues of terrorism.”

However, Dusty Amroliwala, deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East London, said that although details of 바카라사이트 legislation would need scrutiny, 바카라사이트 bill did not appear to go significantly beyond universities’ current duty of care. UEL has in 바카라사이트 past blocked speakers – including one who had called for 바카라사이트 execution of gay people – from addressing its Islamic Society.

“Certain forms of controversy can be downright healthy in a university,” Mr Amroliwala said. “But for 바카라사이트 university to give a platform to a man who stands in front of a large crowd and beseeches 바카라사이트m that, if 바카라사이트y know gay men and women, that 바카라사이트y should be put to death, is something we find totally inappropriate, and it offends 바카라사이트 core values, codes and morals of our institution.”

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

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