Professionalism vs. Free Speech
This story, which I am relating second-hand, hits a bit too close to home...
Students at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, after being chastised by a male faculty member for treating a visiting lecturer poorly, created a "hate group" on Yahoo! groups directed toward this faculty member. Postings to this group, I am told, became quite graphic and violent, relating things that the students wished would happen to the faculty member, such as being raped and having his head blown off with a shotgun. In addition, these students had t-shirts printed berating the faculty member, which they wore to the final examination in the faculty member's class.
The college took action to have the students responsible for these actions expelled, based on violation of the college's professionalism policy. However, University of Kentucky attorneys, fearful of litigation, intervened on behalf of the students, citing that the professionalism clause could not interfere with the students' right to freedom of speech. Since direct threats were not made (postings to the group were only "wishes" of things to happen to the faculty member), the students were allowed to remain in the program. The college has suffered a considerable amount of attrition as a result of this, including its director of student affairs.
Should the students have been expelled, or was it right for the University to uphold the students' right to freedom of speech? I invite any relevant commentary on this subject.
Students at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, after being chastised by a male faculty member for treating a visiting lecturer poorly, created a "hate group" on Yahoo! groups directed toward this faculty member. Postings to this group, I am told, became quite graphic and violent, relating things that the students wished would happen to the faculty member, such as being raped and having his head blown off with a shotgun. In addition, these students had t-shirts printed berating the faculty member, which they wore to the final examination in the faculty member's class.
The college took action to have the students responsible for these actions expelled, based on violation of the college's professionalism policy. However, University of Kentucky attorneys, fearful of litigation, intervened on behalf of the students, citing that the professionalism clause could not interfere with the students' right to freedom of speech. Since direct threats were not made (postings to the group were only "wishes" of things to happen to the faculty member), the students were allowed to remain in the program. The college has suffered a considerable amount of attrition as a result of this, including its director of student affairs.
Should the students have been expelled, or was it right for the University to uphold the students' right to freedom of speech? I invite any relevant commentary on this subject.