SLU's Free Speech Policy.

Freedom of speech is a fundamental right that I assumed I had regardless of where I was or what I was doing. Last semester, I looked further into the freedom of speech policy at SLU and I learned significantly more about the right that I thought I had. In the fall of 2016, SLU began to revamp its policy on free speech across their campus. SLU created this new policy aiming to keep Jesuit traditions in mind as well as the beliefs and values of their student body. So, what exactly is SLU's policy? According to SLU's webpage, some of the key elements are that the policy-

- "Examines freedom of in context of Jesuit tradition.

- Identifies fundamental ideal of vigorous exchange of ideas that are foundational to a university.

- Affirms a value of respect for diversity and, in particular, for the marginalized.

- Articulates a set of Ignatian guidelines for civil discourse as the basis for the University's policy and procedures."

This policy had been workshopped for two years (starting in 2016) and was implemented to the student body in the fall of 2018.  From what I can understand from these elements, this policy seems to be great and it protects the rights of all SLU students. 

When learning about the formation of the new policy, Katlyn Martin, former SGA president, shared that “before the "revamp" of the policy, SLU didn't have a freedom of speech policy per-se. There was an addendum that stated that a student could say what they wanted but you couldn't speak against certain Catholic beliefs or traditions.” I myself am not Catholic. Therefore, I don’t necessarily agree with certain Catholic views.  This makes me wonder that if the policy hadn't been changed? How much freedom would I have to be able to say what I believe at SLU?  How much freedom would I have to challenge views I didn’t agree with? Would I have any?

With the new policy now in place, the options for speakers on campus is endless. This is great because it allows for a more diverse group of people to come in and speak about a wider variety of topics. In fact, according to this video, the only reason people wouldn't be allowed to speak on campus is if they are threatening violence or have come from a group that have participated solely in violence. Besides that, it's "fair game" you could say, for who is allowed to speak on SLU's campus.

Overall, from what I learned about the free speech policy it seems pretty fool-proof. Although, I am sure that there are still ways to run into conflict when it comes to sharing your views. Besides, just because you're protected- doesn't mean what you say is right.