Americans For Prosperity –Tennessee, the grassroots organization that played a key role in bringing an end to the Hall Income Tax in Tennessee, is hosting a no-cost seminar on the topic of “Free Speech on College Campuses.”
Sam Nienow, AFP Middle Tennessee Field Director, describes the event as “a fascinating seminar on the infringements upon free speech at both public and private universities.”
AFP recognizes that “colleges and universities used to be a place where intellectual diversity was embraced. Now, this philosophy has changed as many higher education institutions fail to uphold the promises of free expression, assembly, and religion to students and faculty.”
The Gallup/Knight Foundation conducted a survey in 2017, “Free Expression on Campus: What College Students Think About First Amendment Issues.” Compared to a 2016 survey, students believe all five first amendment rights – freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom for people to assembly peacefully and freedom to petition the government – are perceived as significantly less secure in 2017.
However, the majority of students consider the protection of citizens’ free speech rights and promoting an inclusive society that is welcoming to diverse groups to be extremely important. But, when given a choice between the two, a higher percentage say free speech, rather than inclusion, is extremely important or very important.
In the session, participants will engage on what freedom of speech means to them, how they see it exercised on campus, and hear about what resources students have to protect their rights.
Nienow tells The Tennessee Star, “I wouldn’t have changed much about my own personal college experience, but if I could go back, I would want to attend this seminar before I went to school.”
The target for the event is high school students about to go to college, students in college, parents of these students, and anyone else who might want to know what is going on concerning free speech in higher education.
The training event, developed by AFP’s Grassroots Leadership Academy, will be held on Monday, March 26, 2018, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Americans For Prosperity Foundation Franklin Headquarters, 344 Main Street, Suite 200, Franklin, Tennessee 37064.
The cost is free, as is dinner also provided at the event, but attendees do need to register here or by emailing Sam Nienow at [email protected].
