Free speech creates divide on college campuses

By: Aaron Esparza

SAN MARCOS, Texas – A series of recently passed free speech laws, both in Texas and nationally, take aim at college campuses and has Texas State students split on the decision.

Gov. Gregg Abbott that will allow students to assemble and distribute written material without permission or a permit. The bill also protects student organizations with various viewpoints from being banned from campus. Abbott’s decision to enact the law stems from colleges like Texas State University banning conservative organizations from speaking on campus.

Free speech has been a topic of discussion recently at Texas State due to issues that occurred in the spring semester. The Student Government attempted to ban the conservative organization Turning Point USA from campus. The organization was accused of harassing students and faculty, promoting white supremacy, illegally funding candidates and manipulating course content. Despite the accusations, Student Government does not have the authority to independent bar a recognized student organization. A protest that opposed an outside group intending to speak on campus led to the arrest of four students.

Texas State senior, Donald Stevenson said the Student Government’s decision to ban the organization from campus was a little drastic. Especially considering that they do not have the authority to do so.

“Whether or not you agree with the organization’s core values, it is still imperative that we as young professionals learn how to deal with varying viewpoints,” Stevenson said.

Senior Donald Stevenson Photo by:
Aaron Esparza 

States across the country are signing similar laws that protect free speech on college campus in their area. According to a report distributed by the Knight Foundation, 68% of college students believe their campus climate prevents them from expressing their true opinions. Republican students feel hesitant to openly share their views because they are not of the popular opinion. Most students do not support restrictions on free speech, but 41% feel that hate speech should be restricted. Some students at Texas State feel indifferent about restrictions on hate speech.

Junior, Ryan Taylor, said that hate speech does not make him feel unsafe at all because someone else’s opinion is not his reality. Although, he does understand that certain people have certain triggers and he has not personally experienced hate speech on campus.

“To be honest, it’s better for people to be vocal about their hate so you can know who and who not to surround yourself with,” Taylor said. “Silent hate is worse than vocal hate.”

 Texas State was ranked one of the worst campuses for free speech in 2018 by FIRE, an organization that defends The First Amendment. This ranking is based on the public outrage that followed an editorial piece that was published in the university newspaper last November. The article titled “Your DNA is an abomination,” asserts that race is a social construct that is used to oppress minorities and that “whiteness” should be destroyed. Three staff members were called to resign, and the paper’s funding was threatened.

Texas State junior, Alison Castillo, said that the notion of free speech indicates that everyone has the right to articulate their own opinions, thoughts and beliefs freely without punishment from the government.

Junior Alison Castillo Photo By: Aaron Esparza

“I am a huge supporter of the First Amendment and advocate for the voicing of opinions even if I disagree wholeheartedly with the person speaking,” Castillo said. “In principle, it would allow anyone to say anything they please so long as it does not insight harm to themselves or those around them.”

President Trump has signed an executive order this month that will also protect free speech on college campuses. The bill and order have both threatened to pull federal funding if the schools do not comply. Some students feel like this is an overreach by the government.

Texas State Senior, Hunter Hudgins said that this is just a power move by the president.

“I mean he can make the statement all he wants but it’s been a move every president has used by threatening to not fund something they don’t agree with,” Hudgins Said.

Debating Free Speech on Campus

By Ana Norleyne 

SAN MARCOS, Texas -- After a series of recently enacted free speech laws, in Texas and around the nation, a current debate is stirring among Texas State students surrounding freedom of speech on campus. 

SB 18, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, earlier this month, establishes that universities must allow any person to engage in free speech activities on campus, create disciplinary sanctions for students who interfere with the free speech activities of others and establish a process for addressing complaints of potential free speech violations.  

In April, Texas State University’s student senate passed a resolution to bar the conservative group Turning Point USA from campus. The move caused controversy among members of the campus community as well as with the student body president and campus administration. 

Wimberly Kerbow
Photo by Makenzie Harrison

“I don’t think they should be banned because they have freedom of speech,” Wimberley Kerbow, a physics student at Texas State, said. “But I do think that they should be more regulated in what they say.” 

There was another incident in May, where University Police Department arrested four students after an altercation with counter-protesters who gathered in anticipation of the arrival of the Texas Nomads SAR, a group that expected to hold a demonstration in opposition to Student Government’s proposed TPUSA ban.

Samantha Groody
Photo by Taylor Batey

“There are groups who want to abide by our First Amendment,” senior, Samantha Groody said. “But seeing the violence first hand that day, was very discouraging of our campus and will have a lasting impact of how I want my children to grow up and what college they attend towards the near future.”  

According to a study conducted by the Knight Foundation, a majority of students do not support free speech restrictions, but 41% draw the line at hate speech.

Amari Clarke
Photo by Ezra Pena

Students at Texas State, like Amari Clarke, 18, consider that young people can be aggressive sometimes and not always react the proper way. Although she doesn’t know where the line between free speech and hate speech should be drawn, she suggests students to be mindful on how they express themselves.  

“Everyone has opinions but if your opinions are aggressive then maybe you shouldn’t express hate as openly as you think you should. Clarke said. “So, I’m not sure what the line should be, but I do feel like there should be something there.”

Nationally, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that allows the federal government to withhold research and education grants from public higher education institutions if they fail to promote free speech on campus. In a similar manner, after the controversy with the conservative group TPUSA, Gov. Greg Abott questioned if the taxpayers should still fund schools like Texas State. 

“I feel our governor is on the right track but should not come out as harshly and threatening as he did,” Groody said.  

On rising debates regarding free speech laws on campus, students have divided opinions on whether groups such as TPUSA should be ban or not from campus. 

Andy Sanchez
Photo by Robert Bodine Jr.

Some students, like Andy Sanchez, said that hate speech should be protected by the First Amendment. 

“Everyone should be able to say what they want to say even if it's like hateful,” Sanchez said. “Because even if it isn't hateful, to be honest, everyone's going to get offended. So, might as well just say what you're going to say.”

Donald Stevenson
Photo by Aaron Esparza

Donald Stevenson, accounting student, said that to ban groups such as TPUSA from campus was a drastic move. Stevenson considers imperative that students learn how to deal with varied viewpoints.

“The First Amendment protects their freedom to speak about their conservative agenda just as much as it protects my freedom to say that I openly disagree with it,” Stevenson said.