As leaders in both the academic and political communities, students must be knowledgeable about how new government laws and regulations affect their freedom of speech and right to privacy. If students are to maintain their influence as a political force, action--protest, petitioning, and voting--is necessary to ensure that academic freedom is preserved.
The current political climate is changing rapidly. Restrictions on individual liberty are becoming more common-place as the United States takes steps to protect itself from terrorism. While some of the post-September 11th measures are necessary, there are some that fail to protect the integrity of the United States Constitution. Understanding legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act, and voting as an educated and concerned collective are essential to guarantee that students’ rights are protected at all times.
In high school and college, students are fortunate to be surrounded by others who are probing to understand where their own ideology fits into the broader scheme of American politics. College campuses, in particular, are a place where freedom of thought is most important. Throughout their education, college students greatly benefit from the free flow of ideas and political debate that are an integral part of most campuses. However, when the government impedes this culture of openness, the entire academic environment is disrupted and weakened as a result.
Aside from being a goldmine of fresh academic and political ideas, campuses also hold a microcosm of personal information. Offices of student life, admissions, academic advising, and many others retain long records of personal and private student information. Obviously, colleges must maintain databases, but who has access to this information presents a larger concern.
Since legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act and other anti-terrorism measures have passed through Congress, the role of college administrations in protecting student privacy has become unclear. Can a school administration be forced to release the membership of its students’ groups because some of these groups may be engaged in “anti-American� activity? How closely do campus police work with federal law enforcement agencies? Are school library records released at the request of the Department of Justice? These, and many others, are all questions for which students must aggressively demand answers.
Often, it is difficult to pinpoint exact abuses of government power, whether on school grounds or in the general public. There are few requirements mandating the government or school administration to inform citizens of its actions. This is not to say that government officials are snooping into student records all of the time, however, there are now laws in place that open the doors for the government to target students of a specific political affiliation or ethnicity.
The reason that students must question their school administrations is to ensure that policies are clear and fair to the entire student body. The ambiguity of post-September 11th regulations is just as threatening as the laws themselves. Uncertain of how school administrations will react, many students choose not to engage in political debate or protest. The potential backlash against students of minority status can be extreme. Students have reported instances of exclusion from sports teams because of their ethnicity; others are scared to participate in campus protests because their citizenship is still pending, and some find it increasingly difficult to remain in the United States after graduation because the legality of their residency is no longer valid. Such issues are not necessarily the result of any single policy, but of the current political climate in the United States. Even the brightest students – those who have greatly contributed to the country through their research – are now receiving the message that they are not wanted.
Because the current political climate presents new challenges, Students for Freedom (SFF) formed to enable politically active student groups to have more power and feel more secure in their actions. SFF’s mission is to provide resources to help students act on pressing issues concerning civil liberties and civil rights. We also seek to bridge the communication gap that exists between students in different regions of the country. Regardless of political affiliation, it is important that the student voice be strong and united in the call for equal rights and the protection of free speech.
One of the most important actions students can take is casting a vote in the November presidential election. In these challenging times, students must make their voices heard and their power seen at the ballot box. Voting is the most influential tool we have to systematically communicate with our national legislators. Individually we can affect change. Collectively we are a movement.
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