Letter: UT works hard to develop free speech – Knoxville News Sentinel

Knoxville News Sentinel 8:05 a.m. ET April 16, 2017

Letters to the Editor(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

My letter is in response to Greg Johnsons column of Feb.17, in which he implied that individual rights of free speech are not protected at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK)and asserted that UTK should adopt the University of Chicagos Principles on Free Speech.

UTK has worked hard to develop policies that protect free speech. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Higher Education (FIRE; https://www.thefire.org/) is a watchdog on free speech. FIRE has rated more than 500 institutions, and awarded their highest rating (green light) for free speech to only 29, including UTK. These top 29 schools include the University of Florida, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, Purdue, Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, William and Mary, and the University of Chicago. Adoption of the Chicago Principles is unnecessary, because UTK, through its own carefully considered policies, has already received the same high rating for free speech as the University of Chicago.

Students are given an unfettered opportunity to explore new ideas at UTK, some of which may be contradictory to beliefs that they hold. The intellectual strength of a university depends on competition of ideas and the ability of everyone to exercise their individual rights of free speech and expression. The process can be inhibited when students, faculty, or staff fear they may be punished for expressing viewpoints that are unpopular with the general public, university administrators, or government officials.

Free expression of ideas requires an open mind and the belief that the opinions of others deserve to be heard. Controversial topics should be debated vigorously, but without personal attacks against those holding opposing viewpoints. We should acknowledge the possibility that those with differing viewpoints may be right, or at least have a valid point. At the end of the conversation, our understanding of opposing viewpoints should have increased, even though we may not be swayed by their argument. We should also be motivated to refine our arguments more convincingly for the next conversation.

Bonnie H. Ownley, Knoxville

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Letter: UT works hard to develop free speech - Knoxville News Sentinel