School Spotlight

Polk State College

Location: Lakeland, Florida
Type: Public

Speech Code Rating

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  • At present, FIRE does not maintain information on this school's policies.

  • Public records request shows Polk State College consulted law enforcement over faculty artwork

    March 13, 2019

    Just in time for Sunshine Week 2019, which celebrates transparency and access to public information, a newly-released batch of records reveals that Polk State College appears to have contacted law enforcement to review artwork a professor submitted to a faculty arts show. Under Florida’s Sunshine Law, attorney Hayden Barnes (whose name long-time FIRE supporters might… Read more

  • REPORT: Artists clash with campus censors

    July 10, 2018

    Art purged for being “one-sided,” among other excuses Censors, often not understanding the message, ban art rather than grapple with its meaning PHILADELPHIA, July 10, 2018 — Art censorship is nothing new. Spanish conquistadors smashed ceramics of ancient Peruvian cultures that portrayed gay and lesbian sex. The Roman Catholic Church of the 15th century was… Read more

  • ‘Too controversial’: Polk State College rejects professor’s anti-Trump artwork

    February 20, 2018

    LAKELAND, Fla., Feb. 20, 2018 — Free expression on campus isn’t childproofed — except at Polk State College, where part-time faculty member Serhat Tanyolacar’s artwork was rejected from a faculty art exhibition for being “too controversial.” In early January, Polk State encouraged all faculty members in its arts program, including Tanyolacar, to submit artwork to… Read more