Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Last month, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (disclosure: for which TheFreeForAll blogger Harvey Silverglate serves as Chairman of the Board) noted that Colorado College had punished several students who published a parody of a campus feminist publication. FIRE is now reporting that the College has denied the students' appeal. Though the College claims that the parody violated the "student code of conduct policy on violence," it's not clear how writing can be violent when -- as in this case -- the writing wasn't inciting readers to violent action. FIRE is assisting the students in challenging the disciplinary ruling because Colorado College's free speech policy says that "[on] a campus that is free and open, no idea can be banned or forbidden. No viewpoint or message may be deemed so hateful that it may not be expressed." This is just the latest in a sadly long series of penalties inflicted by college and university administrators on students and student publications who have the audacity to use humor in order to make political points concerning various sacred cows in higher education. Read more at the FIRE website.