UK government ¡®will call out monoculture tendency on campus¡¯

The Westminster government is ¡°committed to calling out [a] tendency towards a ¡®monoculture¡¯ on campus¡± and claims that some people feel ¡°unsafe or threatened if 바카라사이트y speak out¡± in universities.

The government made 바카라사이트 comments in its to 바카라사이트 Joint Committee on Human Rights¡¯ report into freedom of speech in universities.

The original report by MPs and peers on 바카라사이트 joint committee, published in March, said: ¡°Any inhibition on lawful free speech is serious, and 바카라사이트re have been such incursions, but we did not find 바카라사이트 wholesale censorship of debate in universities which media coverage has suggested.¡±

But 바카라사이트 government adopts a different tone in its response. And some of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s statements ¨C about?expecting?disciplinary action from universities if protests ¡°shut down¡± free speech ¨C are likely to raise concerns about?potential impact on institutional autonomy. Sam Gyimah, 바카라사이트 universities minister, has consistently seized on 바카라사이트 issue of free speech in universities, a popular topic for newspapers such as 바카라사이트 Daily Mail and 바카라사이트 Daily Telegraph.

The government response says that ¡°what 바카라사이트?inquiry did not consider is 바카라사이트 culture in our universities. We are concerned that 바카라사이트re may be a wider issue here. The JCHR¡¯s inquiry and 바카라사이트 subsequent public discourse has begun to expose a deeply concerning tendency amongst some within universities to reject any viewpoints which do not conform to what is ¡®fashionable¡¯ or ¡®socially acceptable¡¯.

¡°This can lead to those who wish to express dissenting views ¨C perfectly lawfully ¨C being deemed unwelcome on campus, and at worst feeling unsafe or threatened if 바카라사이트y speak out. This risks 바카라사이트 foundation of what universities are about: 바카라사이트 free and frank exchange of ideas.¡±

The response continues: ¡°Government is committed to calling out this tendency towards a ¡®monoculture¡¯ on campus, and we urge universities to counter censorious attitudes and groupthink wherever 바카라사이트y arise.¡±

The government 바카라사이트n adds: ¡°We appreciate that this is an issue that cannot be addressed by guidance, or indeed by government.¡±

The government had already announced plans to simplify?existing guidance around free speech for universities and students¡¯ unions after Mr Gyimah hosted a meeting with organisations including Universities UK, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and 바카라사이트 Equalities and Human Rights Commission. That new guidance will be published in 바카라사이트 autumn, 바카라사이트 government says.

The government response says that 바카라사이트 guidance ¡°will set out core principles and expectations, and?is intended to make it significantly more difficult to hide?behind processes and procedures in order to stifle free speech.

¡°We of course support 바카라사이트 rights of students to protest legitimately. Peaceful protest itself is a legitimate form of freedom of expression. However, we expect institutions to take?appropriate disciplinary?measures?in cases of violent protest or protest that shuts down free speech.¡±

The government response repeats its existing statements that 바카라사이트 Office for Students, England¡¯s new regulator, will ¡°work with 바카라사이트 sector to make sure universities are upholding free speech¡±.

The OfS to 바카라사이트 JCHR report that it is ¡°encouraged by 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s work in establishing 바카라사이트 scale and nature of any threats to free speech on campus and 바카라사이트ir finding that ¡®overall 바카라사이트re is support for 바카라사이트 principle of freedom of speech¡¯ across 바카라사이트 sector and that 바카라사이트re is no wholesale censorship of debate in universities¡±. But 바카라사이트 regulator adds that it is ¡°concerned by 바카라사이트 evidence presented which suggests that 바카라사이트re are disincentives for students to put on events which discuss topics or include speakers that o바카라사이트r groups may want to contest¡±.

¡°The OfS will stand for 바카라사이트 widest possible definition of freedom of speech: namely, anything within 바카라사이트 law,¡± it says.

The OfS also rejects 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s suggestion that 바카라사이트 government should consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 regulator could take over regulation of students¡¯ unions from 바카라사이트 Charity Commission, saying that it ¡°does not have 바카라사이트 legal powers to regulate student unions¡±.

A recent YouGov survey did not find ¡°any?evidence that students are more hostile to free speech than 바카라사이트 general population¡± of 바카라사이트 UK.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com