• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Students lobby for campus free speech clarity

Students lobby for campus free speech clarity

February 7, 2019 By O. Kay Henderson

Drake Law student Dan Breitbarth, an ISU grad, talks about the bill.

About a dozen students were at the state capitol today to show support for a bill to address free speech issues at the public universities and community colleges in Iowa.

“Throughout my four years at the college I’ve had bosses, co-workers, professors and even friends try to censor how people speak and think, so I think that this bill is pretty important,” said Olivia Fox, a senior at Iowa State University.

The bill under discussion in the Senate was drafted after the student group “Business Leaders in Christ” was kicked off the University of Iowa campus for barring an openly-gay member from its leadership.

“We expected there to be a bias when we went to a public university…and we are o.k. with that,” said Iowa State University junior Jacob Minock, the president of ISU College Republicans, “but we are not o.k. with being silenced.”

Iowa State University sophomore Trevor Kems told legislators some groups and individuals have not been allowed to speak freely on the campuses.

“I believe, personally, that some of the violations of our free speech have affected the conservative groups on campus more than some other groups,” Hems said, “and I would like to remedy that.”

Representatives from a wide variety of groups expressed support for most of the proposal, but some raised concerns a section of the bill would let school-sanctioned student groups discriminate against members. The bill cleared a subcommittee today, but key Republican senators say they’ll consider changes to the legislation.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt

Featured Stories

Iowans 65+ now eligible in next phase of Covid vaccinations

Bill would remove transfer limits in five Iowa school districts

Former Iowa sports talk host sentenced to federal prison for ticket scams

Feenstra only member of Iowa delegation not at Biden’s inauguration

Congresswoman Axne favors Biden pandemic relief plan, Hinson not ruling out a ‘yes’

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

UNI adds two nonconference games to basketball schedule

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC