Support Free Republic, Folks!
Posted on 03/06/2018 3:11:41 PM PST by jazusamo
Florida lawmakers have passed a bill that eliminates “free speech zones” at public universities and allows schools to be sued for restricting campus protests.
The Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018 passed Monday in the House and Senate by votes of 84-28 and 33-5, respectively, sending it to Governor Rick Scott’s desk where it awaits his approval.
Introduced by state Rep. Bob Rommel, Naples Republican, the bill contains a provision that prohibits public universities from establishing so-called “free speech zones” and instead designates generally all outdoor campus areas as “traditional public forums,” effectively keeping colleges from restricting protest activity to certain areas.
“I’ve received thousands and thousands of calls from students that feel that their right to speak freely where they want to in outside areas has been infringed upon and how can they stand up to the big university when they’re just a student struggling to get by,” Mr. Rommel said, The Gainesville Sun reported.
If signed by Mr. Scott into law, Florida would immediately join just a handful of states with laws in place banning colleges from enforcing free-speech zones.
“Attempting to limit the First Amendment rights of students by tucking them into the hidden corners of campus is not only unconstitutional but goes against the very concept of what a college education should be about,” said Demetrius Minor, the coalitions director of the Florida office of Generation Opportunity, a right-of-center group that supported the bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
This is great news! I hope this spreads throughout the country like wildfire. It is time for all of us to write our state representatives and call to their attention this development in Florida.
You forgot the trigger warning. /s
Fantastic news!!! A Marxist’s nightmare.
How about an amendment to the U. S. Constitution that guarantees the right of free speech? I know, that’s just crazy talk.
Leftist colleges and universities think their “speech codes” override the Bill of Rights. Afterall, their “speech codes” were written by the most brilliant contemporary and diverse minds available (according to them) whereas the Bill of Rights was written by dead white men, including slaveholders.
Support Free Republic, Folks!
Leftists may be sorry they tried to make an example out of Florida. And they thought Texas was conservative!
While applaud the intent, I question the philosophy in the comment:
“Attempting to limit the First Amendment rights of students by tucking them into the hidden corners of campus is not only unconstitutional but goes against the very concept of what a college education should be about,” said Demetrius Minor, the coalitions director of the Florida office of Generation Opportunity, a right-of-center group that supported the bill.”
It was not always that going to college meant, and had as a central purpose, a central intent of being there, to “protest”.
To me “higher learning” real academics of college life is what should take place in the classroom, not on the campus doing political organizing.
I understand the desire for Conservative students to be restricted as to when and where THEIR protest, which in 90% of the cases are counter-protest against the dominant Leftist orthodoxy in and out of the classroom.
That said, I still object to a philosophy, Left or Right, that thinks higher learning is about “protesting”. How about students wait until they’ve actually had a “higher education”, get out in the real world of work and “protest” with their vote.
Yea, I know, then the Marxist would lose their preemie organizing forum, and the right its need for counter protests, but if “free speech” could prevail among the teachers and students in the classroom - which often it can’t (one way or another) then at least more learning and less protesting might take place.
It’s a start but what they need is this
-—— Original Message -——
Subject: Parkland Policy Failures
WHAT THE MEDIA DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW
BECAUSE OF POLICIES IT LOOKS LIKE THIS
WERE THE BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF”S DEPT PROHIBITED
FROM BEARING ARMS INSIDE BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES ???
WERE THEY SO FED UP WITH THE SCHOOL’S LENIENT POLICIES
IT BECAME WHY BOTHER TO GO THERE ?
In the Parkland case, their security system had a dismal record concerning student safety and security that should be brought to public discussion particularly beginning with this school having a so called “gun free zone”. But that does not fit this perverted agenda created by the democratic party ( in name only) goose stepping adhearents in the media and must be concealed.
From what has been reported .This school system did have an understanding with the Broward County Sheriff’s Dept. An officer who may be armed assigned to patrol the multi acre site in a golf cart, but bans guns from the rest of its internal security
Criticism arose when the officer assigned to this duty who was nearing retirement was reported to arrive late and after Cruz had entered the building. The officer stationed himself outside the large structure and had called for support. Two BCSD officers responded Which and did the same seeming to refusing to enter the building while armed . He then left before Cruz did.
Also responding to a BCSD request was the Coral Springs PD who appears did not have this gun restriction entered the building and cleared it. Cruz was captured while fleeing with other students by an alert CSPD officer off the 45 acre campus. While para medics were denied entrance by the BCSD to see if they could save any of the victims.
Those laissez faire attitudes strongly suggest examining records beside the interaction between the BCSD and this school board also calls for a review how the bureaucracy at this school handled student vs student, and student vs teacher (Cruz was accused of this) altercations, vandalism, thefts, and drug use. Which are bound to occur were being dealt with.
To which a dramatic reduction in disciplinary incidents were reported after the selection of Obama’s Chicago friend as school superintendent occurred which was publicly acclaimed.and was receiving large grant from Obama’s Attorney General because of those results. That many critics claimed encouraged criminal activity. Which should require the US Attorney General beside finding out why when the FBI knew that Cruz should not be able to purchase weapons did and to review these grant programs instituted by the previous Obama administration.
Because of these Ding Bat liberal policies it brings up another question. Just how safe and secure were those kids ? .Examine records reporting how student vs student, and student vs teacher altercations, vandalism, and thefts, which are bound to occur were being dealt with. Beside the arrangements with the BCSD.
Because in an educational unit this size it’s pretty clear their security system failed . In a secure system Cruz would have never gotten within the grounds let alone inside.
Now that school board has decided to tear down the school which was probably raised by a funding referendums and the grounds house a memorial
Sources for the formulation of this report come from postings from newspaper and television stations placed in Free Republic by volunteers during the period of Feb 14th to the 25th
The original sources are linked in these postings
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3635254/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3635029/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3634902/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3634905/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3634916/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3635556/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3636095/posts
http://www.theusmat.com/index.htm
It does signify something, it signifies that those who respect the Constitution are begin to fight back.
You are free to think that means nothing, but you’re going to be in thin company.
Doesn’t mean squat.
The leftist shithole universities will find some jackboot method around this, and will succeed uncontested.
A university degree is becoming more of a liability than an asset.
Why would I hire someone with a degree after seeing this? I have better odds at russian roulette with five rounds in the cylinder.
We need a national bill that says in order to receive any federal money whatsoever college administrations must follow the first amendment on college campuses.
State legislatures need to look at other areas where universities are trying to sit of judgment of student behavior and mete out punishment.
Beyond academic matters and general student behavior in the classroom and on school property, universities have no business establishing any sort of behavior codes governing behavior among students. Of course, I’m referring to cases where schools get involved in the sexual relationships between students and even allow, mostly males, to be charged with some sort of sexual misconduct beyond what is covered by criminal law.
“Good news!”
Great news. I hope the legislation has teeth to arrest college administrators who defy the new law and charge them with civil rights violations.
Umm, no. This is FL. There will be no ‘way around’ this.
“a bill that eliminates “free speech zones” at public universities and allows schools to be sued for restricting campus protests.”
It’s very clear. A Criminal statute + civil liability = IT WILL STOP COLD -as in tomorrow.
Without Trump in the WH, this widespread fighting back against the PC crowd would not be occurring - MAGA!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.