This past week I submitted to the USM Student Senate a resolution entitled the Academic Bill of Rights. The History of the Academic Freedom Movement is the work of David Horowitz and the crew of www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org .
This movement while it may seem like something that is not needed I am here to tell you that we need this. College's and universities from across the country, have decided that Conservatives are not welcome on campus and therefore believe they can discriminate against those that have a non-liberal viewpoint.
Last Year I was one of 12 students to testify in favor of this bill at the legislature. Student told their stories how they were graded down or called names just because of their political views.
This bill simply reaffirms that the University is a place where all ideas are to be welcoming. The first thing this bill calls for is that papers are to be graded based on their reasoned answered to the subject and not to any correct political ideology. The Second thing it requires is that the freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of conscious of students and student organizations cannot be infringed upon by campus administrations that do not agree with a view being advocated by a student or student organization. The last thing it will ensure is that funding for student organizations is based only on that organizations activism and adherence to campus guidelines, not the issues or ideology it advances.
A lot of people say the above things are not needed. I say this is not the case, It does an injustice to those that despite in Augusta and those that may suffer in silence. One student who experiences discrimination based on their personal convictions is one too many.
We need to take this head on. USM Has the chance to set the record and make great strides towards Academic Freedom.
I am ashamed of the Democrats and one Republican that voted against this it just shows that they talk the talk but don't walk the walk.
They say they are for equal protections for all, but when it come to protecting how a person thinks and how a person wants to get their point out they hide and vote against it! This is bad just bad!
Thankfully the Maine GOP knows this is needed, and is fully backing this! And I am proud to say we are getting our message out. Let's hope that one Republican comes out in favor of this sometime.
Jason Lavoie
University of Southern Maine
College Republican Chairman
