This appears sound at first glance but is dangerous.
President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to meddle with college policies on free speech on campuses by threatening colleges with the loss of federal research funding if they do not fall in line.
"We’re here to take historic action to defend American students and American values," Trump said, surrounded by conservative student activists at the signing ceremony. "They’ve been under siege."
"Under the guise of speech codes, safe spaces and trigger warnings, these universities have tried to restrict free thought, impose total conformity and shut down the voices of great young Americans like those here today," he said.
I am all for open debate and the free flow ideas on college campuses but the government should have no role in enforcing such a policy. If a college wants to limit speech in some draconian manner for any reason in the world, they should be allowed to do so.
But it should be remembered, the fundamental law of limited resources means that even in the context of open debate and the free flow of ideas limitations will have to be instituted. How many flat earth theorists, for example, should be allowed to use up college resources?
That said, Trump should stay away from attempting to direct colleges and universities in any manner. It is the policy of government meddling that is the greater danger. If anything, Trump should be working to end government funding of education and research which by definition has to be central power driven support.
Robert Wenzel is Editor & Publisher of EconomicPolicyJournal.com and Target Liberty. He also writes EPJ Daily Alert and is author of The Fed Flunks: My Speech at the New York Federal Reserve Bank and most recently Foundations of Private Property Society Theory: Anarchism for the Civilized Person Follow him on twitter:@wenzeleconomics and on LinkedIn. His youtube series is here: Robert Wenzel Talks Economics. More about Wenzel here.
I'm not sure if they can really enforce it anyway, but even public universities are armpits of leftist stupidity. If nothing else he brings some awareness of the issue.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing Trump should be doing is creating a separation of education and state by abolishing all federal funding and regulation of education. In addition it would be inspiring to see all libertarian and/or free market educators take action toward a separation of education and state by resigning from any organization receiving government funds. Certainly these talented people can stand on their own two feet. How about it RW, could you use a few more employees?
ReplyDeleteI really hope flat-earth theory becomes a major. I would argue that it would be less damaging than gender/race studies. At the very least, students would have an excuse to learn some math and basic physics. Like the climate change zealots, they would learn to start with a conclusion and then cherry pick any data that might back up their conclusion. It's flawless.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Trump playing the *ahem* trump card on these Leftist indoctrination centers masquerading as government schools. The Federal Government shouldn't send money (to any schools) to schools that curtail free speech and free flow of information. I thought these Leftists believed in diversity?
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