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Editorial: Free speech of students still trumps private status of University

By Gaveliers, The Gavel Media Team, on October 26, 2009 3:05 PM

The issue of the role of the press at a pri­vate university has been raised in many instanc­es recently. Many students believe that because Boston College is private, students do not have a voice in matters pertaining to the campus.

We believe that attending a private insti­tution does not mean relinquishing the lawful and ideological rights inherent in the pursuit of knowledge. The simple and straight answer is never the whole answer, and it is our fun­damental duty to serve as an advocate for all students.

The Gavel is the progressive news source of BC. We are an editorially independent pub­lication, partially funded by the Center for American Progress and the College Democrats of Boston College, and we do not attempt to conceal this fact. We are committed to dissemi­nating uncensored, thought-provoking news at the local, national, and international levels and maintaining the utmost integrity in our cover­age.

Our greatest responsibility is to champion the rights of those whose voices or concerns fall on deaf ears. To learn is to question, to inves­tigate, to explore new ideas, and we are com­mitted to ensuring that no student’s educational freedom is stymied or refrained. In our fervent quest for the truth, we refuse to let any injustice go overlooked and unsung.

It is our duty to report with honesty, vigor, and courage, and settle for nothing less than the truth. Whereas other news sources merely simplify complex issues, we strive to consider all sides and serve as a facilitator for thoughtful and meaningful discussion of timely and rel­evant topics. We vow to report on subjects that would otherwise be dismissed as too controver­sial, too complicated, or too difficult.

The role of the press is to divulge informa­tion in the name of free speech, and maintain it through facilitating open dialogue between contrasting opinions. Freedom of the press does not hinder due process but rather assures its fruition. Only through providing a forum in which individual beliefs can be expressed can the dynamism of the First Amendment persist.

It is our belief that both students and teach­ers be entitled to First Amendment rights. At the university level, the free exchange of ideas is fundamental to intellectual growth and more­over, is the key to impartial socio-political in­trospection. Free speech should not be curtailed because it is controversial but instead, asserted because it is necessary.

In this regard, we echo the majority opinion of the Supreme Court in Tinker et al. v. Des Moines (1969) when it asserts: “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” The ex­ercise of the First Amendment is not limited to phone conversations or letters, and thus neither is it confined to communication within an aca­demic environment. The First Amendment is an invitation to open discussion in—and out­side—of the classroom, and it is our explicit goal to become a forum for such debate.

We are unwavering in our commitment to maintain this ideal. Through the integration of new technology and multimedia, we will revolutionize engagement with pressing ideas and issues and provide cutting-edge access of up-to-date news coverage. As a news source of the BC community, we adhere to the mission of furthering and maintaining the fundamental rights of liberty through journalistic excellence and integrity.