Do campus speech codes violate students rights?

“Congress shall make no law….abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press”.

Free speech is crucial for the growth and stability of this nation. We have achieved so much through the various ideas of those whom may have offended many others with their ideas. Speech codes do violate student’s rights and as a student we are attending college to learn as well as build and grow with our ideas and values. When we restrict speech and violate our first amendment rights we are halting the flow of ideas which are a necessity for the growth of students. Students should be allowed to assemble and speak without fear of reprisal as long as they are not causing physical harm for others, making school a hostile environment for others, harassing, and/or using vandalism as a way to put their views out.

Whether our views and ideas are correct this is the only way we will all learn what others in the world feel and how to live and deal with those views. If someone’s feelings get hurt in the process that is just the price we will have to pay in order to sustain our first amendment rights. A person should be able to assemble peacefully and have free expression anywhere on campus and be able to say anything they want as long as it is done so in an acceptable fashion, so long as it does not disrupt the education of other students. Speech zones typically limit who can actually see the assembly and are unfair and unconstitutional because it is restricting the freedom of speech to a few key areas on campus. Universities should not feel compelled to make a determination regarding what groups they feel will be disruptive and what groups have to assemble in these designated speech zones because that shows impartiality and bias behaviors. Society should not just be so willing to give up on our rights just because someone’s feelings may be hurt in the process, especially when so many men and women have died and are still dying to protect these rights.