Opponents rush to court to block Florida’s intellectual freedom surveys on college campuses

The Capitolist ^ | March 28th 2022 | News Service of Florida

[Jacquerie]

TALLAHASSEE — Opponents of a controversial 2021 law asked a federal judge this weekend to prevent the state from moving forward with surveys about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on college and university campuses.

Attorneys for students, faculty members and groups challenging the law filed an emergency motion Saturday seeking a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction. The motion said surveys could be distributed to college and university students and employees as soon as April 4.

The opponents filed an overall challenge to the law last summer, contending that the surveys would violate the First Amendment.

Under the law, state universities and colleges will be required to conduct annual surveys. The law directed the university system’s Board of Governors and State Board of Education, which oversees state colleges, to each have a survey that will be used by schools and that “considers the extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented and members of the university (or college) community, including students, faculty, and staff, feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom.”

The law (HB 233) also said survey results will be published each September. Students and employees are not required to participate in the surveys.

The emergency motion included a schedule that the plaintiffs said they had obtained. That schedule indicated invitations would be sent to students and employees April 4 to take the survey, according to the motion.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, including the United Faculty of Florida union, contended that allowing the surveys to move forward on the timeline “threatens irreparable harm to plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.” The motion said Republican lawmakers passed the measure to target what they perceived as liberal bias on campuses.

[Jacquerie]

College professors long ago forgot for whom they work.

[MercyFlush]

Can’t tolerate crticism of the Marxist Narrative!!!

[ThunderSleeps]

“considers the extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented and members of the university (or college) community, including students, faculty, and staff, feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom.”

I'd say it is fairly obvious many students are not free to express their beliefs and viewpoints. The people suppressing these beliefs are the very ones challenging the survey. They don't want their oppression made public.

[SamuraiScot]

I guess they don’t want news about their little police states to get around. That’s a shame.

[mikey_hates_everything]

The planitiffs [the academics] claim that “allowing the surveys to move forward on the timeline “threatens irreparable harm to plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.”

Seems as though NOT allowing the surveys harm everyone else’s First Amendment rights.

[monkeyshine]

Asking people if they wish to fill out a free survey, at their own personal discretion, is a violation of the 1st Amendment?

[BenLurkin]

How is this law in any way “controversial”?

[liberalh8ter]

The law directed the university system's Board of Governors and State Board of Education, which oversees state colleges, to each have a survey that will be used by schools and that “considers the extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented and members of the university (or college) community, including students, faculty, and staff, feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom.”

Because God forbid people should be able to express their ideas. The gray ponytails are the only ones who should set the tone of conversation and quash differing viewpoints.

[airborne]

"Students and employees are not required to participate in the surveys".

So what's the problem libtards? Afraid the truth will be revealed?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, including the United Faculty of Florida union, contended that allowing the surveys to move forward on the timeline “threatens irreparable harm to plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.”

The right to what? To turn your students into bratty, ungrateful, violent Marxist drones?

[eyeamok]

contending that the surveys would violate the First Amendment.

But we have every right to Violate their First Amendment rights??

The Judge shgould not only Dismiss with Prejudice, he should find the Lawyers bringing this motion in Contempt of Court and give them the Maximum Sanctions available

[uranium penguin]

It’s like roaches, voting to keep the lights off.

Turning the lights on would a 1A violation!!!

[Lisbon1940]

The college?

[dila813]

I hope the judge laughs as he bounces them out of court

[DoughtyOne]

What’s the matter folks, afraid of a little expression of
personal views?

[Jacquerie]

Nope. It’s going to be heard in a federal court.

[bassmaner]

Anything the Left disagrees with is ‘controversial’.

[ConservativeInPA]

The opponents filed an overall challenge to the law last summer, contending that the surveys would violate the First Amendment.

Leftists always accuse the right of the exact things leftists are doing.

[dila813]

It’s silly

[Boomer]

Leftists always accuse the right of the exact things leftists are doing.

Yep. They are nothing if not highly predictable.