In a previous post I mentioned FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Neither left- nor right-leaning, FIRE most often challenges university speech codes and similar violations of the 1st Amendment. Think of FIRE as what the ACLU would be if it weren't so unabashedly liberal.
They obviously have their work cut out for them. Is there any other organization out there that does what FIRE does? If you know of any, please tell me about them in a comment.
Then read this book review about how often, and how blatantly, our universities and colleges ignore the 1st Amendment.
I don't know of any group that does exactly what FIRE does. (Some fraternities and sororities at one point formed some sort of national group to fight for freedom of association, but since Congress amended their bill into unenforceability I don't know if it's still around.)
ReplyDeleteLarge universities like my own often have student chapters of the ACLU, and sometimes right-leaning counterparts such as the Young Americans for Freedom. My heart warmed when both student groups joined together a few years ago to protest the town's decision to train cameras on students' apartment balconies. Too bad the town went ahead with it anyway.