University of Chicago to freshmen: We do not support ‘trigger warnings,’ ‘safe spaces

[GMDino]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/25/university-of-chicago-to-freshmen-we-do-not-suppor/


[/url]

Quote:[url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/the-university-of-chicago/]The University of Chicago has once again expressed its commitment to free speech, warning incoming freshmen not to expect any “trigger warnings” or safe spaces on campus where individuals can retreat from intellectual challenges.

In a letter sent to the class of 2020, the dean of students for undergraduates explained the private university’s “commitment to freedom of inquiry and expression.”


“Members of our community are encouraged to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn, without fear of censorship. Civility and mutual respect are vital to all of us, and freedom of expression does not mean the freedom to harass or threaten others,” Jay Ellison wrote, according to the letter obtained by Intellectual Takeout. “You will find that we expect members of our community to be engaged in rigorous debate, discussion, and even disagreement. At times this may challenge you and even cause discomfort.



“Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” he wrote.


The letter comes as college campuses nationwide struggle to uphold free speech principals while also protecting cultural sensitivities.



In 2014, the university created the Committee on Freedom of Expression due to “recent events nationwide that have tested institutional commitments to free and open discourse.” The committee then drafted a statement reaffirming its “solemn responsibility not only to promote a lively and fearless freedom of debate and deliberation, but also to protect that freedom when others attempt to restrict it.”

[BmorePat87]

good

[Belsnickel]

(08-25-2016, 11:54 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: good

Absolutely. College level education is intended to challenge you. If you see something as problematic for one reason or another it is something that should generate discussion, not something students should shelter themselves from.

[GMDino]

(08-25-2016, 11:54 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: good

(08-25-2016, 11:59 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Absolutely. College level education is intended to challenge you. If you see something as problematic for one reason or another it is something that should generate discussion, not something students should shelter themselves from.

Figured most of us would agree on this.

[*PhilHos*]

(08-25-2016, 11:53 AM)GMDino Wrote: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/25/university-of-chicago-to-freshmen-we-do-not-suppor/


[url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/the-university-of-chicago/][/url]

While I'm certainly glad to hear this, I'd like to see them stick to this. I'm not saying they haven't or they won't, but I can be somewhat cynical and considering what takes place on colleges all across America, I'm worried this is nothing more than lip service.

Still, it IS  a stand that a lot of colleges would not openly make.

[GMDino]

(08-25-2016, 11:54 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: good

(08-25-2016, 11:59 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Absolutely. College level education is intended to challenge you. If you see something as problematic for one reason or another it is something that should generate discussion, not something students should shelter themselves from.

Figured most of us would agree on this.

[Au165]

(08-25-2016, 12:02 PM)GMDino Wrote: Figured most of us would agree on this.

Did you figure most of us would agree on this?

[GMDino]

(08-25-2016, 12:23 PM)Au165 Wrote: Did you figure most of us would agree on this?

Usually when I accidentally click too fast the site catches it and says I've already posted that.

Good catch!

[fredtoast]

I agree with this principle, but would like to point out that there is nothing wrong with "trigger warnings" because they do not limit free speech or expression in any way. All they do is warn people that they might be offended by something.

They are no more dangerous than letting people know that certain movies or songs contain language that might be considered offensive by some people.

[BmorePat87]

Went to a session on teaching controversial issues during the social studies professional development yesterday. The general consensus was that trigger warnings shouldn't have a place in the college level but we unfortunately have to give students outs in high school if they want it when we teach these topics.

[*michaelsean*]

What exactly constitutes a safe zone? I've heard of them, but I don't know what they physically consist of.

[Belsnickel]

(08-25-2016, 12:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I agree with this principle, but would like to point out that there is nothing wrong with "trigger warnings" because they do not limit free speech or expression in any way. All they do is warn people that they might be offended by something.

They are no more dangerous than letting people know that certain movies or songs contain language that might be considered offensive by some people.

(08-25-2016, 02:24 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Went to a session on teaching controversial issues during the social studies professional development yesterday. The general consensus was that trigger warnings shouldn't have a place in the college level but we unfortunately have to give students outs in high school if they want it when we teach these topics.

I get that a book involving scenes of sexual violence may be a traumatizing thing for someone that has gone through that, but life doesn't come with trigger warnings. If material that is typically labeled with a trigger warning on Tumblr (which is just about everything under the Sun) is going to cause someone to be upset then they need to deal with that, not hide from it.

[Belsnickel]

(08-25-2016, 02:50 PM)michaelsean Wrote: What exactly constitutes a safe zone? I've heard of them, but I don't know what they physically consist of.

Depends on where you go. Some places have safe zones where it is seen as a haven for those who don't want to deal with anything controversial. Some places have a program called Safe Zone where members of the faculty and staff may be listed as a place a student can go to in order to discuss certain things. We have the program here where some of us are available on campus in case a LGBT student encounters discrimination or what not.

[*michaelsean*]

(08-25-2016, 02:54 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Depends on where you go. Some places have safe zones where it is seen as a haven for those who don't want to deal with anything controversial. Some places have a program called Safe Zone where members of the faculty and staff may be listed as a place a student can go to in order to discuss certain things. We have the program here where some of us are available on campus in case a LGBT student encounters discrimination or what not.

That seems kind of silly because you can probably find 1000 places on campus where nobody is discussing controversial issues at any one time.

As for the staff, I know my son's high school (Catholic) has designated their guidance offices as basically a safe zone for gay kids.  That makes sense to me.  You should be able to talk to a guidance counselor about something like that without being judged about it.  Not to say that a guidance counselor would judge, but it's probably reassuring to have it affirmed.

[Belsnickel]

(08-25-2016, 03:47 PM)michaelsean Wrote: That seems kind of silly because you can probably find 1000 places on campus where nobody is discussing controversial issues at any one time.

Pretty much. It's just supposed to be this place where none of that can be brought in, or something. I don't know, we don't have any that I know of. We're a liberal arts university but we don't go to that extreme.

(08-25-2016, 03:47 PM)michaelsean Wrote: As for the staff, I know my son's high school (Catholic) has designated their guidance offices as basically a safe zone for gay kids.  That makes sense to me.  You should be able to talk to a guidance counselor about something like that without being judged about it.  Not to say that a guidance counselor would judge, but it's probably reassuring to have it affirmed.

Indeed. It can be helpful for students facing things to know they have allies on campus. Having various members of the staff around can make it easier to find us wherever on a pretty decently sized campus. We also have faculty/staff trained to deal with a number of other things like Title IX violations, substance abuse, etc.

[xxlt]

(08-25-2016, 12:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I agree with this principle, but would like to point out that there is nothing wrong with "trigger warnings" because they do not limit free speech or expression in any way.  All they do is warn people that they might be offended by something.  

They are no more dangerous than letting people know that certain movies or songs contain language that might be considered offensive by some people.

This. And there are always going to be those who try to hide hate rhetoric and just generally being an ass behind the shield of "academic freedom" and "intellectual challenge."

We put signs in bathrooms telling employees they have to wash their hands, and off course some still don't, so knowing that is the level we are at as a "culture" I don't see the big deal with putting up a sign that says, "Dingus McGee is testifying on the quad with megaphone again and if you don't want to hear him you may wish to take the long way around to your next class."

[JustWinBaby]

Oddly enough, for a university with the highest suicide rate in the country this is probably the one place that NEEDS trigger warnings and safe zones.

[Rotobeast]

(08-25-2016, 12:39 PM)GMDino Wrote:

Usually when I accidentally click too fast the site catches it and says I've already posted that.

Good catch!

Damn "porn-finger" gets away from you, eh ?


*joking, of course*

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

[GMDino]

(08-25-2016, 10:02 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: Damn "porn-finger" gets away from you, eh ?


*joking, of course*

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

Other hand. 

[6andcounting]

(08-25-2016, 12:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I agree with this principle, but would like to point out that there is nothing wrong with "trigger warnings" because they do not limit free speech or expression in any way. All they do is warn people that they might be offended by something.

They are no more dangerous than letting people know that certain movies or songs contain language that might be considered offensive by some people.

If I'm whipping my dick out in public, a warning is fair. Unless it's for Harambe, then the only warning you're getting is a "praise be, I miss you." If I criticize Harambe for his stupid jokes in a virtue signaling failure of a remade cult classic film, you don't deserve a warning.