A crackdown on censorship at U.K. universities is about to begin as the Government’s free speech Tsar gets to work bringing in a new complaints system and guidance, backed up by law. Arif Ahmed, the Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom at the Office for Students, has written about the coming changes in the Telegraph.
One in seven students does not feel free to express their views on campus. Studies have shown more than 30% of academics self-censoring – about twice the rate of most European countries. And the U.K. has slipped to about 60th place in the global Academic Freedom Index. We know there is a problem with free speech in English higher education.
Changes are coming to how it is protected. Following new legislation, the Office for Students (OfS) – the independent regulator of higher education in England – will launch a new complaints scheme.
The scheme will be free to use for students, staff at universities and visiting speakers who believe that their free speech rights have been constrained. Only lawful free speech is protected. So speech which incites violence, or racial hatred, or is otherwise illegal, is not protected. But there is no protection in law from feeling offended. Indeed, an effective higher education includes exposure to views which are unpopular and difficult.
This week the OfS has published draft guidance to help universities, colleges and students’ unions to navigate their responsibilities under the new legislation. It includes hypothetical examples to show these organisations both where free speech might have been constrained and what they may have to do to secure it.
The examples cover various issues – from global politics, to gender, to relationships with overseas regimes that may undermine free speech in English higher education.
We outline, in particular, an example where a university accepts international students on visiting scholarships funded by a foreign government. The scholars must accept the principles of that government and receive direction from it via consular staff. Such an arrangement may undermine free speech and academic freedom at the university. We will consider each case on its facts, but if there is suppression of free speech or academic freedom within the law, the university would likely be required to change or terminate this scholarship agreement.
Worth reading in full.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
Well yes but isn’t “bloke” a purely biological term? How can you be biologically a bloke and not a bloke in other ways?
“Called his language “intentionally derogatory and disrespectful” and “not appropriate as a Clerk in Holy Orders”.
Maker’s Handbook, page 1, Genesis 1.27 ‘So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.’.
These words repeated by Jesus too.
The bishop is on dodgy ground. Roll on the Judgment.
To play devil’s advocate, no-one (in the Church of England at least) believes that bit any more though, do they?
““I’m self-evidently a woman, but I’m glad I was once a man.”
——–
No, you’re self-evidently a man who has no understanding of basic biological facts.
I went to the psychiatrist and said “I identify as a dog. I bark and wag my tail” —–He replied “Lay on the couch for me”——–I said “Oh I am not allowed on the couch”
It’s the way you tell ’em.
Please do not mis-species me. ——–ruff ruff ruff
Honestly, the fact this fellow has made the news shows us all in a poor light. A couple of hundred years ago, one can imagine there might have been some eccentric parson in a remote area, Devon perhaps, who sometimes styled himself “Lady Amelia” and rode side-saddle to hounds, and you can imagine he might have found his way into a small locally printed pamphlet on “Curious Devon Characters”.
But he wouldn’t even have made the local press. That would have been full of important news, like stock prices at auction.
The main reason I left the C of E (many years ago) was that it seemed to behave like a big corporation (and one that had lost touch of its core ‘mission’). This is just more of the same. If Murphy worked for (say) BP and made the vlog in some way that clearly identified him as a BP employee, I’m sure the outcome would be the same. It’s just another UK institution that has failed, but it’s been failing for 30 years or more.
There are many ways of pursuing a fulfilling spiritual life.
I don’t think the C of E is much help with that these days.
“There are many ways of pursuing a fulfilling spiritual life”
Hear, hear!
Taking a long, hard look in the mirror is the best place to start. I haven’t yet progressed past that stage
The light comes from self-awareness and humility.
But we are still right and they’re all still wrong about ThePandemic™, though!
A person identifying themselves in some way or other these days trumps how other people may identify them. But ofcourse is that such a big surprise in wokeworld when ideology trumps common sense on just about everything? ——-You cannot say who stole your mobile phone. It looked like a woman but who can tell these days, when women may have a 6 o’clock shadow.
We’re building a society around the promotion of the destruction of the traditional family unit. It started with feminism and it ends with the acceptance of mental illness, which is what transgenderism is, as normal. Pit women against men, pit men and women against their own biology, pit children against their parents; destroy, destroy, destroy. What we are left with is no sense of belonging. No sense of belonging to any group other that the state. Rehashed communism has been on its way for a long time. It always hid as a bloke in a dress.
Boom
Yes, if I remember correctly Jesus said something about the importance of having an impeccable “blue file” to enter the kingdom of heaven.
I think it was in the gospel according to Matthew. Or maybe it was Luke.
Help and support the Heritage Party which champions traditional values. And because of this it is targeted by Antifa which puts them in a good light doesn’t it?
According to the linked Telegraph article, he calls himself a woman and a lesbian. So he still fancies women and also wants to dress like one. Isn’t that a transvestite? Confused – we are supposed to be.
‘He added: “You clearly recorded your vlog wearing clerical attire aware that this would give you both status and make it clear you were a Church of England priest”’
So he’s being accused of honesty.
I’m unclear which particular Canon Law can be used against a clergyman who’s already left the CofE and calls out a transgender lesbian serving as an archdeacon. But then I’m a Baptist now.
Transgender lesbian is a nonsense term. That’s bloke who – for some reason only known to him – tries to appear like a woman in public but doesn’t want to extend to his private life, where he prefers to remain a bloke, ie, someone with a habit of putting his penis into real women. That’s self-evidently his own business. But he has no right to try to force others to partake in his cosplaying show.
This is my archdeaconry. I declined to go to the visitation for church wardens and lay sidespersons for the same reason – i’m not engaging with clown world.
I’d say, with all due respect, learn to juggle, or leave!
Welby is clearly Satan’s acolyte. I attend church every week. The Church of England will undoubtedly die but Christianity will NEVER die.
Jesus said “I tell you the truth”. Rev Murphy was telling the truth.
Revd Mann’s a man, he probably should have changed his name as well as his pronouns!!