Rebecca Slowik Academic Freedom is a vital part of academia.

Both students and faculty should have the freedom to say what they want in the academic world. Now as a reminder this freedom allows us only to say what we can validate with reasonable proof, and must be on topic with the content of the course. As educated people we should be able to listen to other peoples opinions and based on the evidence they have given be able to accept their argument whether we agree with it or not. Having a debate about a controversial topic typically can make a lecture more interesting. For instance Professor Finkelstein offered a valid argument with the proper evidence to back it up, by this alone academic freedom should have been on his side and he should not have been asked to leave DePaul University. Sadly politics interfered and he had to resign. If we cant allow academic freedom in our universities whether they be private or public, what are we doing here? What is it all for? Our Professors within the content of the class should be able to teach a subject without having to worry about what they say. If we limit whats being said in a college classroom, we are not doing our constitution justice. Are we going to censor everything that is being taught that in controversial? Now I think the importance of academic freedom is vital to our education, because knowledge should never be limited. Professors shouldnt avoid teaching a certain subject because it may be controversial, just like a student shouldnt be denied the opportunity to learn about it, especially if it pertains to their field of study. A medical student should still be taught how to perform an abortion, whether they decide to or not is a personal choice, or possibly their employers choice. I believe that under certain circumstances students and professors should have this right out side of the classroom as well, especially if they are trying to stand up for this right. For example allowing students to protest, whether its for gay rights or for some injustice they feel the school has cause them. Now that being said, there once again needs to be validity to their argument and should it in no way disrupt the learning environment. The difference between academic freedom and freedom of speech are a fine line. Looking at the case in UCLA of the girl who said fairly racist comments and was forced to leave the school. She being part of a public institution should be protected by the freedom of speech amendment, granted what she said was fairly idiotic it was within the limits of this amendment. Was it ignorant and ill planned, yes, but was it okay based on the right we have as Americans yes. The school was wrong in asking her to leave although a punishment for tarnishing the schools name would have been justified. That being said at a private institution, the lines can get blurry. Being Private it can get tricky, since a private institution has a right to deny people if they coincided with the mission of the school. If you were throwing out slanderous statements while at a private institution, and you affiliate what youre saying with that said institution you can be held to a higher standard than those of a public school. So the girl at UCLA was not doing anything wrong when she made that video, just like all the other people who create videos mocking her were right in creating them. Which is interesting they did they same thing to her that she did to the Asian

community, yet she was punished and they seem to be praised. All because of the message, and sadly according to freedom of speech we should not be punished for the message being voiced, but only if they way it is being voiced is unconstitutional.