GREAT IDEA – AT 9:56 A.M. ET:  Leave it to Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin to come up with a plan to fight the assault on free speech that is occurring every day on college campuses.  From the College Fix: 

We missed something in our recent report on the higher-education proposals in Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s budget for Wisconsin: It would also codify the state’s commitment to free speech on public college campuses.

As flagged by Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, the nearly 1,000-page bill introduced in the Assembly features this section on page 372:

Freedom of expression. (1) The board and each institution and college campus shall be committed to free and open inquiry in all matters and shall guarantee all members of the system’s community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn. Except to the extent limitations on that freedom are necessary to the functioning of the system, the board and each institution and college campus shall fully respect and support the freedom of all members of the system’s community to discuss any problem that presents itself.

(2) In the face of conflicting ideas, it is not the proper role of the board or any institution or college campus to attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Although the board and each institution and college campus shall greatly value civility, and although all members of the system’s community share in the responsibility for maintaining a climate of mutual respect, concerns about civility and mutual respect can never be used as a justification for closing off discussion of ideas, however offensive or disagreeable those ideas may be to some members of the system’s community.

COMMENT:  It doesn't stop there.  It goes on.  Please read the whole thing.  Imagine if every governor in the country put these provisions in every budget.  The Democrats probably won't, but Republicans might.  Start those cards and letters going.  Put heat on your governor.  Free speech may yet win out, which means the students and professors will win.

February 24, 2017