After giving Arizona State University officials an opportunity to investigate and answer serious allegations about attempts to silence conservative voices, Arizona lawmakers are voicing their disappointment and skepticism after the university’s official response.
Arizona State University (ASU) has been accused of using state resources to inhibit students’ fundamental rights to freedom of speech and expression on campus.
The most notable accusations stem from a controversy surrounding an appearance by conservatives Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk.
A report released by the university last Friday admitted no wrongdoing by faculty of Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, and seemingly ignored serious concerns raised by students, including those who felt coerced to not participate in an event where several nationally renowned conservative speakers were in attendance. Additionally, allegations were made of a faculty-driven condemnation campaign, both nationally and inside ASU classrooms, as well as faculty viciously and publicly attacking the prime sponsor of the event, the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development.
“I’m not surprised that ASU circled the wagons and concluded that they did nothing wrong when they restricted the first amendment rights of their students. The Legislature will likely have to take steps to ensure that these violations do not occur again in the future, and I look forward to our Ad Hoc Committee reconvening this fall,” said Arizona State Representative Austin Smith.
In June, Smith called on the Arizona Board of Regents to investigate allegations that officials at ASU squashed free speech after a University administrator claimed she was fired for bringing the conservative speakers to campus.
Ann Atkinson, executive director of the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at the Barrett Honors College, made the accusation in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal: “I Paid for Free Speech at Arizona State.”
“We appear to have a case of the fox guarding the henhouse with ASU’s attempts to write off the seriousness of these claims as lawmakers to take action now,” said Senator Anthony Kern.
“While it’s unfortunate ASU’s administrators chose to take this approach with their investigation, it’s not unexpected. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt that they would in fact own up to some of the serious problems that stifled free speech for students on campus under their watch, however, their complicity calls for further action from state legislators. I look forward to hosting a follow up committee hearing in the coming weeks where lawmakers will review this report together, hear additional testimony, and discuss making policy changes to prevent similar situations from unfolding in the future. This issue is not unique to Arizona State University, as we’re hearing instances of free speech infringement on campuses around the nation. It is our obligation as lawmakers to take action now,” concluded Kern.
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