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.”

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

(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.

(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]

(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.

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

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

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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, 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!

(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

(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.