A trio of speakers from Kent State University’s faculty and administration on Tuesday explored the scope and limit of two related rights: First Amendment protections for freedom of expression and a faculty member’s right to academic freedom in the classroom and in research.
The discussion on understanding academic freedom and freedom of expression was part of “Dialogue and Difference,” a series of programs designed to engage the Kent State community in discussions that will advance our core values of freedom of expression, respect and kindness in all we do.
Tracy Laux, senior lecturer of mathematical sciences and chair of Faculty Senate; Amy Reynolds, Ph.D., dean of the College of Communication and Information; and Deborah Smith, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and president of Kent State’s Chapter of American Association of University Professors, Tenure Track Unit, led the discussion.
Reynolds, who has researched First Amendment issues, noted how hate speech, which often is a topic of discussion on college campuses, is protected by the First Amendment. Speech that incites violence is one of the exceptions to the First Amendment, but Reynolds noted that those exceptions must be related to “true threats” and there are legal precedents that define what constitutes a threat, based on the context of the situation.
She noted how a public university has free speech zones or areas, but that does not extend to non-public forums such as private offices or classrooms, where the speech would overtake classroom teaching and would cause a disruption of learning.
For public employees, she said the First Amendment protects an employee’s right to hold opinions and speak out as a citizen, but such protections do not extend to employees making statements under their official job duties or on internal office issues.
Regarding academic freedom, Laux said he has witnessed efforts to seek standardization among textbooks and curriculum material for faculty, to be able to compare outcomes of faculty using the same materials. However, Laux said he has resisted such efforts to hem in his academic freedom.
He said Kent State relies on the 1940 "Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure" adopted by the American Association of University Professors, which emphasizes that academic freedom is necessary to the mission of the faculty of a university, since it is “eminently in the interest of society that, without fear of retribution, the professor should be free to conduct research and make public its results and to teach his/her subject in the classroom.”
Laux also noted the university’s policy on textbook selection, which states, “Faculty have academic freedom to choose textbooks and supplemental materials for their courses.”
Smith discussed how academic freedom also is protected by faculty union collective bargaining agreements, which uphold academic freedom for professors to determine their own subject matter.
However, Smith noted how the professor’s academic freedom is limited by their course content. For example, a philosophy professor could not choose to teach algebra instead under the guise of academic freedom, she said.
Tuesday's event, which took place in the Governance Chambers of the Kent Student Center, was a continuation of the year-long initiative “Dialogue and Difference: A New Understanding” designed to engage the Kent State community and advance our core values of freedom of expression, respect and kindness in all we do. Kent State’s Division of People, Culture and Belonging is partnering with the School of Peace and Conflict Studies and the Division of Student Life to deliver a series of educational programs that feature diverse perspectives and to help Kent State community members better understand each other.
“Dialogue and Difference” kicked off Feb. 1 at Kent State’s annual Martin Luther King Celebration with “MLK and Me: Living a Life of Love and Peace During Conflict.” Members of the Kent State community are encouraged to attend these upcoming events in the series:
- “Cultural and Religious Identity: A Faculty Conversation” 4 p.m., March 12. The virtual event will include Rick Feinberg, Ph.D., professor emeritus of Anthropology; Chaya Kessler, director of the Jewish Studies Program and senior lecturer of Hebrew; Babacar M’Baye, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of English; and Lydia Rose, Ph.D., associate professor of Sociology.
- “Understanding and Combatting Antisemitism,” 12:30 p.m. March 19. This virtual event will feature Rabbi Michael Ross, who will explore a brief overview on the role of antisemitism and its impact on the Jewish community. Ross has been the Senior Jewish Educator at Hillel, an adjunct instructor in the Jewish Studies Department at Kent State and Siegel College, and, for the past six years, the pulpit rabbi at Temple Beth Shalom in Hudson. He will be teaching "Hebrew Bible as Literature" at Kent State in the 2024 Fall Semester.
- “Understanding and Combating Islamophobia,” 4 p.m. March 19. This virtual event will feature Lydia Rose, Ph.D. Associate professor of Sociology, who will lead the discussion on Muslim discrimination, prejudice and oppression and its history tied to colonialism and internal colonialism. Rose will describe the basic tenets of Islam and situate Islamophobia within the context of the racial formation literature in sociology. Dr. Rose brings her scholarship and expertise to enhance the understanding of anti-Muslim sentiment and the strategies for combating Islamophobia.
New programs will be added throughout the year.