School Spotlight

Polk State College
Speech Code Rating
- At present, FIRE does not maintain information on this school's policies.
Polk State College: Professor’s Provocative Political Artwork Barred from Faculty Art Exhibition
February 15, 2018
A faculty member’s depiction of Donald Trump is excluded from an art exhibition at Polk State College.
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