Free speech and opinion- not tolerated today?

Cliff

The school thought otherwise. And he was an old boy.

I don't know him from Adam. I have no intention of 'following' : To me he sounds like a fruitcake. But that's just my opinion formed in the last day or so and does not change my view of free speech.

Having said that, many people do follow him, and they might agree/disagree with him passionately.  He should be allowed to speak and that was why he was invited. It was a popular choice and would have been very well attended.

Education takes many forms and that includes hearing different views from different people, and deciding yourself. They could be extreme and they may be rubbished - but lets air them.

Listening is all part of growing up and its a sad day when our DoE decides who can and can't be allowed a platform to speak.

krish

My earlier response to you about this which you might have missed ...

The school stated:“The decision was taken following contact from the DfE counter-extremism unit, the threat of demonstrations at the school by organised groups and members of the public, and our overall concerns for the security of the school site and the safety of our community,”

Doesn't suggest leaning or banning, just contact, as a result of third parties contacting the DfE re objections and protests. The only ones who are suggesting it are Milo himself on Facebook ("My old high school has been bullied into canceling my talk"), these pupils, and a particular parent who also happens to be an editor at Spiked (Why did the government prevent Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking at my sons' school? | Coffee House).

The school decided. Milo is lapping up the publicity and deliberately being a drama queen over it. The DfE contacted the school to apprise them of complaints and threatened demonstrations. I think the school's head finally decided after legal, local authority and police advice, with genuine concern for safety of pupils, staff and local commuunity.

Cliff

Ah the selective quote ....Aclass usually picks these up.
cont..
“We note that, within 24 hours of advertising the event, 220 Langton sixth-formers had, with parental consent, signed up for the event and that objection to our hosting Mr Yiannopoulos came almost entirely from people with no direct connection to the Langton. The staff and students of the school were overwhelmingly in favour.

“While disappointed that both the pastoral care and intellectual preparation we offer to our students has been called into question, we at the Langton remain committed to the principle of free speech and open debate and will resist, where possible, all forms of censorship.”

If you care to read the rest of the schools statement, and the bit I have underlined, it is quite enlightening. It is apparent that the school was upset that they had been called into question.
They also reaffirmed resistance to censorship. Why would they do that?

Another statement 'on Friday the Department for Education’s counter-extremism task force contacted the school after receiving a complaint from a member of the public.
Just one?

Anyway, we don't know exactly why the counter extremism forces swooped in but the controversy surrounding this decision have many believing there was a sinister side.

Member 581642

You going for a job at the Express

Member 581642

Sorry missed it, as id read the whole article including the quote from the school, and thought it was on here.

Sonic67

Milo on his Twitter suspension for trolling…

“I keep getting accused of being a white supremacist. But if that’s the case, I must be the first black-dick-sucking white supremacist in history.”

Member 581642

I doubt he's that even

Sonic67

I don't see a problem. There's a debate here with him in and it's interesting enough:

                               
Radio 4 also had an interesting programme on the whole subject of "free speech/not allowing a platform."

No Platform, Archive on 4 - BBC Radio 4

"The NUS policy of 'No Platform', which blocks members of six proscribed organisations speaking on university campuses, has been the subject of a huge amount of debate recently. Similarly, the related issue of establishing so-called 'safe spaces' within universities, which results in speakers being blocked because their opinions might offend or upset members of the student population, has been widely discussed, with many commentators suggesting the creation of a new generation gap opening up between middle-aged graduates concerned about free speech on campus and younger students who say this older group is out of touch with a politics more concerned with identity than class."

Member 581642

As an aside, what is the "DoE counter extremism force/department/person/group" cant find details of it ?

krish

I wasn't selectively quoting.

Still isn't about he DfE is it? It's just their head of humanities going on about censorship. The obvious targets are the complainants - the local branch of the NUT and others.