British Prime Minister Speaks Out Against University Safe Spaces
“Freedom of speech is a fundamental British value.”
The debate over free speech in higher education vs. coddling and safe spaces isn’t only happening in the United States.
The Independent reports:
British Prime Minister Theresa May hits out at ‘safe spaces’
The Prime Minister has hit out at “safe spaces” at universities, arguing that they stifle freedom of speech – and could damage economic development.
Theresa May said the areas, which indicate zero-tolerance against hate speech or harassment of marginalised groups such as LGBT people or ethnic minorities, were “quite extraordinary”.
She was asked about the spaces at Prime Minister’s Questions, the high-point of Britain’s political week where the PM takes questions from Members of Parliament.
Victoria Atkins, the MP Louth and Horncastle in Lincolnshire, said safe spaces stifle “lively debate” and asked the PM to condemn them.
“Freedom of speech is a fundamental British value which is undermined by so-called “safe spaces” in our universities where a sense of ridiculous entitlement by a minority of students means that their wish not to be offended shuts down debate,” the MP said.
“As students around the country return to their places of learning at the start of this academic year does the Prime Minister agree with me that university is precisely the place for lively debate and the fear of being offended must not trump freedom of speech?”
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Comments
Is this the same PM whose government is busy enshrining Sharia speech codes into British law?