Table of Contents
FIRE Continues to Follow Dave Barry Incident at Marquette
FIRE continues to follow the case of Stuart Ditsler, the graduate student at Marquette University who was forced to remove an innocuous political quote by humorist Dave Barry from his office door. Although the Marquette administration claimed that the situation was resolved within the philosophy department, Ditsler told FIRE he was never notified of this alleged resolution. So the question remains: are students and faculty now permitted to post materials on their office doors at Marquette?
FIRE wrote to Marquette a second time, hoping to clarify the university’s position and establish a firm commitment to free speech on campus. Our letter again expressed concern over an e-mail sent to Ditsler from Philosophy Department Chair James South, which stated that the philosophy department is not a “free speech zone.” The practice of posting materials on doors, however, should be especially protected in a philosophy department—a department whose website maintains that it is dedicated to “the pursuit of truth” and that “philosophy provides a principal forum for the serious discussion of the basic questions of life.” How can philosophy students and faculty at Marquette discuss the basic questions of life if they are unsure that their expressions will be allowed? Freedom to express one’s opinions and beliefs is fundamental to such a dialogue.
FIRE is waiting for a response to its most recent letter to Marquette. We will continue to keep you posted on our progress there.
Recent Articles
FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.
VICTORY: Michigan town declares Sept. 6 ‘First Amendment Day’ after FIRE sues its mayor for shouting down residents
After their mayor silenced them for criticizing her during city council meetings, four Eastpointe, Michigan, residents sued their city — and won.
USC canceling valedictorian’s commencement speech looks like calculated censorship
The university’s move, citing vague ‘safety concerns’ appears designed to placate critics of the student’s Israel criticism.
Back into the FIRE: Hasen’s response to FIRE and Rohde: Don’t read the press clause out of the Constitution — First Amendment News 420
First Amendment News is a weekly blog and newsletter about free expression issues by Ronald K. L. Collins and is editorially independent from FIRE.
Western Washington University punishes racing team for sending photo of penis drawing on pizza box
The university faulted the group for drawing “a symbol of white, male power and domination.”