Speech Codes on Campus Per. 1 10/1-Per. 8 10/2

Over the last few days, we've explored issues of hate speech on college campuses.  Now that you have a general understanding of the laws, it's important to see how those might be applied in settings that you may experience as you head into your college years.  To do so, please follow the instructions belos.

1. Go to the FIRE website and read their mission statement and what they are about. 
2. Look at the "What are Speech Codes?" article so that you understand how FIRE is defining them.
3. Go to "Using FIRE's Spotlight" in order to understand how to use their database.
4. Go to the database and select a college or university that you have an interest in.
5. On your blog, write a post that responds to the following:
• Describe your chosen university's speech codes (or lack of them).  How do your university’s policies or restrictions on free speech impact you as a prospective student? Does it influence or change the way you view the school? Do you believe that your university’s speech codes are legal or do they infringe on your rights to free speech?  Make connections to the description of the law that you read for class today.
6. Next, watch this story about an incident at Penn State University.
   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/50100377#50100377
7. Then read these stories that provide context for the images that are posted here.
8. Then read these stories about controversy surrounding a "Tacos and Tequila" party at the University of Illinois.
• Now, in a continuation of your post that you began above, consider how the university you explored in #5 above might have reacted to these parties on their campuses?  Work to apply their speech codes to these incidents.  Would you agree or disagree with their reaction? 
9. Next, write a concluding thought.   Do you agree with FIRE's definitions of what constitutes a speech code? Are the “restrictions” and codes they point out necessarily harmful or do they protect students? If you went to a university with a speech code how would you feel; safe or restricted? 
10. Spend any remaining time looking at other class members' blogs.  Try to comment on at least two.