LSE students start free speech society
Their union recently said it would ban “something like a colour” if it offended students
Students at the school have started a ‘Free Speech Society’ due to what they call the “growing sense of censorship” on campus.
The group say they’re tired of their university’s reputation, given that so far this academic year the sale of The Sun has been stopped in its shop, the rugby club has been disbanded for a year after it distributed sexist and homophobic leaflets, and trigger warnings were put up around a Palestinian Society protest.
Founders of ‘Speakeasy’ believe that the standard student isn’t being treated like an adult
The group’s founders argue that universities “should prepare us for the real world instead of putting us in the safe-space bubble”. Although there are often debates as part of the union, chaired by elected officers, the founders of ‘Speakeasy’ believe that the standard student isn’t being treated like an adult, and claim debates on sensitive topics are being “shut down” for fear of being offensive.
They say they want to create a climate that welcomes debate, instead of censoring discussion out of fear of offending. One founding member argued that there is confusion between debating a point and agreeing with it, saying that some students feel there is a “veil of hypocrisy” while students “pretend they agree so as not to disrupt the safe space”.
The club’s page on the LSE’s student union website says its aims are to campaign against no-platforming and censorship, invite speakers, and protect free speech on campus.
LSE’s newest club recently got profiled by The Independent – quite a coup for a club who hasn’t actually had a real life meeting yet.
One of the founding members is the son of The Sun’s former foreign correspondent, Nick Parker, who in 2014 was charged with handling an MP’s stolen phone, but cleared of aiding abetting misconduct in a public office. Charlie Parker is in his second year of a Philosophy degree.
Here, the argument seems to be that the feelings of what these students feel are only the few should not be overshadowed by what they feel is a “ban culture” at LSE.
The university, ranked fourth in the world for Economics, is somewhat notorious for its left wing vibe and political activity, renamed the student union president post ‘general secretary’ in the 80s in solidarity with striking miners.
