Bias Response Teams Have No Place on N.C. Campuses

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | September 19, 2022 | Jenna A. Robinson and Ashlynn Warta

[karpov]

It’s no secret that university students, once known for their brash defense of unfettered free speech, have gone rather quiet on the issue. Campus surveys reveal that most college students self-censor to some degree and that certain ideas are now taboo on campus.

A new report from Speech First, a membership association of students, parents, faculty, alumni, and concerned citizens fighting back against toxic censorship culture on college campuses, provides insight into one of the reasons students fear speaking up: Bias Response Teams. These squads (or reporting systems) are specifically created to “solicit, receive, investigate, and respond to” reports of “bias incidents” or other allegedly offensive speech. Speech First’s report pulls no punches, calling Bias Response Systems “elaborate schemes … designed to silence dissenters, stifle open dialogue, and encourage students to report speech they deem unacceptable.” Like most such initiatives on campus, their efforts tend to run in a single ideological direction.

The definition of offensive speech is vague and subjective. Bias Response Systems across the country have different standards and solicit complaints about speech for any number of reasons. According to the report, any speech that is “biased, offensive, unwanted, discriminatory, hate/hateful, [or] a microaggression” is eligible for investigation by a Bias Reponse System.

To produce the report, “Free Speech in the Crosshairs: Bias Reporting on College Campuses,” Speech First evaluated 824 public and private institutions of higher education and found that 56 percent have Bias Reporting Systems in place. That’s far more than just five years ago. According to the report, there are “230% more BRSs at private universities and 175% more BRSs at public universities” than there were in 2017, when FIRE surveyed their use across the country.

[Vigilanteman]

Like most such initiatives on campus, their efforts tend to run in a single ideological direction.

Tend to? Gee, I wonder what direction that would be?

[servo1969]

Do they wear brown shirts?

[Betty Jane]

Conservative students should overwhelm the Bias Response Teams. Every time a teacher or club or student says anything negative about whites, men, older people, any religion or Jesus make a report. Report any left wing poster, book or speaker as offensive. Make it a game. Who can report the most each day, week and month? That’s the winner

[Leaning Right]

I’d be a bit more accepting of Bias Response Teams if they wore an appropriate symbol on their sleeves.

Free speech, that’s such an outdated concept anyway.

[sauropod]

Bkmk