Limits On The Freedom Of Expression

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Limits On The Freedom Of Expression

• Curtis Mathis

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Fundamental Freedom of Expression

• Freedom of Expression is a pressing issue mainly
  in Colleges and Universities
• Some Believe Freedom is Unlimited and Should
  Never Be Compromised
• Others Believe Freedom is Guaranteed Until a
  Certain Point Where Situations Could Arise

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Derek Boks Standpoint

• Derek Bok - Dean of Harvard- Supports Unlimited
  Freedom
• His Argument Stems From A Situation At Harvard in
  1991
• Students Displayed Symbols Which Are Sometimes
  Deemed Offensive- at Harvard
• Wrote An Essay For Boston Globe Supporting His
  Position

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(No Transcript)
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Milena Ateyea

• Wrote A Curse and a Blessing Supporting Derek
  Bok
• From Bulgaria- Communist Regime- Moved to America
  In Early 1990s
• Immediately Supported Derek Bok After Reading His
  Essay
• Has Emotional Ties To Subject And Background She
  Can Relate To

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Why Is The Freedom Of Expression A Big Deal ?

• The Freedom of Expression Is An Important Part Of
  The American Political System
• The freedom of speech is in place to promote
  sharing ideas and beliefs,
• These interactions are protected to shape the
  society in a positive way
• Certain displays and expressions however, hold no
  rationale or place in the advancement of society

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The Problem That Arises

• Sometimes a demonstration or expression Has The
  Potential To Become Dangerous Or Detrimental
• Authorities become Confused on Taking Action
  Against People Exercising Freedom Of Expression
• When An Expression Becomes Detrimental To A
  Group- College Campus- Authorities Have the
  Responsibility To Look Out For The Welfare Of The
  Student Population

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What Are The Schools Responsibilities?

• Teach The Students
• Protect The Students
• Court Rulings Have Held That A School Can Prevent
  expression when it could be Detrimental To The
  Learning Environment (We The People 138)
• Other Rulings Have Said That Schools Should Take
  Action Where The Speech Interfered With the
  Schools Goal of Teaching Students Socially
  Acceptable Behavior (We The
  People 138)

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Legitimate Limits?

• When individual Interests Get In The Way Of
  Public Interests, Public Is More Important (Harer
  18)
• Social Utility Is The Point where Individual And
  Private Interests Intersect
• A Good Way To Determine At What Point An
  Expression Should Be Stopped
• One Downfall, Doesnt Factor In What Could Be
  Beneficial To Society or Politics

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What Does It All Mean?

• Freedom of Expression Is Important, But Schools
  Have The Responsibility to Prevent Or Stop some
  Demonstrations
• Limits Help To Protect Public Interests
• Some Freedom Has To Be Sacrificed For Common Good
• In The End A Communitys Well Being is Worth
  Preventing A Display which Holds No Place In Our
  Advancement As A Society

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Works Cited

• Ateyea, Milena. A Curse and a Blessing 29 Apr.
  2004. http//bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/everyday_wri
  ter/studentwriting/pdf/AteyeaMLAargument.pdf . (7
  Aug 2005).
• Bok, Derek. Protecting Freedom of Expression on
  the Campus. Current Issues and Enduring
  Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. 6th
  ed. Boston Bedford, 2002. 51-52. Rpt. Of
  Protecting Freedom of Expression at Harvard.
  Boston Globe 25 May 1991.
• Ginsberg, Benjamin Theodore J. Lowi, and
  Margaret Weir. We The People, An Introduction to
  American Politics Shorter 5th Ed. W W Norton
  and Co. New York 2005.
• Harer, John B. and Jeanne Harrell. People For
  and Against Restricted or Unrestricted
  Expression Greenwood Press. Westport,
  Connecticut 2002.
• Sunstein, Cass R. Democracy and the Problem of
  Free Speech. The Free Press. New York 1993.
• Williamson, E.G. and John L. Cowan. The American
  Students Freedom of Expression A Research
  Appraisal University of Minnesota Press.
  Minneapolis 1966.

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Images Used

• Confederate Battle Flag
• http//www.flags.com/Confederate-Battle-Flags/c215
  _3714/index.html
• Used Without Permission
• Swastika
• http//www.adl.org/hate_symbols/neo_nazi_swastika
  _flag.asp
• Used Without Permission