Cambridge University's Proposed Free Speech Policy Allows the Disrespect of Views You Don't Agree With

Case information
Incident date
Country
United Kingdom
Place
Cambridge
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Societal Sphere
  • Education
Religious Freedom / Discrimination
  • Exclusion (of individuals or ideas)
  • Freedom of Expression
  • Freedom of Religion
Bias Indicators
  • Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
  • Unknown
Response of Local Authorities
  • Unknown
Image credit: Divyansh Jain on Unsplash

In its plan to alter the existing statement on freedom of speech, the University of Cambridge said people must be "respectful" of "differing opinions" and "diverse identities". However, more than 100 scholars and senior staff quickly objected, saying the “authoritarian” proposals could threaten academic freedom. Their amendment to change the phrase ‘respectful` to ‘tolerate’ was voted on by members of the University’s governing body and won “by a landslide”.

Sources