Rutgers University has backed off its claim that free speech doesn't exist, but still is urging students to turn each other in for acts of bias — even those who don't violate the law or the school's code.
A web page on the Rutger's Dean of Student's official site lists various forms of bias that students should avoid.
The website leads off with a headline reading "Think Before You Speak." Under that header was a sentence reading, "There is no such thing as 'free' speech. All speech has a cost and consequences." But after
Campus Reform reported on the page on Friday, the sentence has been removed,
Reason.com reports.
The original can still be seen on the
site's cached page.
According to the site, types of bias can include: "Verbal, written, physical, psychological acts that threaten or harm a person or group on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, atypical heredity or cellular blood trait, military service or veteran status."
Students are urged to report acts of bias or hate to someone in authority if they experience or witness them.
The incident reporting form is identical to one used by the University of Colorado-Boulder that has been criticized by privacy advocates,
Reason notes. It asks not only for names, but also Social Security numbers and other personally identifying information.
The site is maintained by the school's Bias Prevention & Education Committee and notes that while "Bias acts are often disruptive," they are not always "in violation of civil, criminal or University codes, and therefore will not result in discipline."
Still the website says, "Acts of bias may warrant discussion or education about how they affect other members of the University community."
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