DENVER – College students’ ability to speak their minds on college campuses may get protections based on a GOP-backed bill in the General Assembly.
The Student Free Speech Public Higher Education Campuses Bill, Senate Bill 62, – would ban colleges from restricting students’ right to speak in a public forum and abolish any previously designated “free speech” zones.
This bill was heard in the Senate Education Committee on Thursday, and it passed on a unanimous vote. It will be heard by the Senate as a whole in the coming days.
Bill sponsor, Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton, said the measure would promote the free exchange of ideas on campuses by protecting speech without administrators influencing when and where open debate can occur or placing value judgments on different points of view.
The bill would allow “reasonable” restrictions to be placed upon such displays so that they would not disrupt the primary mission of the college.
Marches that disrupt athletic activities or speech delivered via megaphones which interrupt classes for example.
What is seen as reasonable is left vague, but cannot include restrictions that are based upon a message’s content.
This portion of the bill concerned Democrats on the committee until it was cleared up that speech seen as inciting violence would still be regulated by federal statute and not be affected by SB 62.
The free exchange of ideas is particularly important on campuses, Neville said. “There’s probably no other more important venue when you take a look at it than our college campuses where our young people are learning and training and being involved and are actually questioning.”
Neville and Rep. Stephen Humphrey, R-Severence, the House sponsor, both said Wednesday the measure was not targeted at a specific incident, but they feel it is needed to protect college students’ First Amendment rights.
“Unfortunately, I think it’s needed at this time because of the chilling effect that can be had in our state, on our campuses, and we want to make sure there’s really a free marketplace of ideas,” Humphrey said.
For it’s part Fort Lewis College does not anticipate this will affect the way in which it approaches First Amendment displays on campus, Mitch Davis, FLC spokesman, stated in an email.
“When made aware of a protest or gathering or any event, for that matter, the College assesses safety issues and whether or not an event would disrupt the ability of FLC students who are not part of the event to get an education,” Davis wrote. “In other words, would an event disrupt classes. Content and message are typically not major factors.”
“What were looking for here is an opportunity to provide a balance so that any group, whether they agree or disagree says: ‘Yeah, this is American; this is the First Amendment, and people will say things we might not agree with,’” Neville said.
lperkins@durangoherald.com
