Harvard University has received a “Code Red” rating from a free speech watchdog group after banning students from using “racial stereotypes,” but refusing to explain what that means.
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is a nonpartisan nonprofit that aims to “defend and sustain the individual rights of students and faculty members at America’s colleges and universities.”
FIRE’s poor rating is based on a policy that “defines racial harassment as actions on the part of an individual or group that demean or abuse another individual or group because of racial or ethnic background. Such actions may include, but are not restricted to, using racial epithets, making racially derogatory remarks, and using racial stereotypes.”
The “Code Red” rating means that they have concluded that this policy “clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.”
“A ‘clear’ restriction is one that unambiguously infringes on what is or should be protected expression. In other words, the threat to free speech at a red light institution is obvious on the face of the policy and does not depend on how the policy is applied,” the group states.
The university also called on students to snitch on each other in the student handbook if they believe that this vague policy has been violated.
“The College encourages undergraduates who believe that they have been the object of harassment to seek information and advice concerning applicable harassment policies, informal resolution and formal complaints, and counseling and other services. In cases of racial harassment, students may always seek the assistance of their Resident Dean, Faculty Dean, or Racial Harassment Hearing Officer in the Office of the Dean of Harvard College,” the handbook states.
The handbook section on racial harassment continues on to say:
“Some reported incidents of harassment involve stereotyping or insensitive or offensive behavior that is the result of miscommunication or lack of communication rather than malicious intent. Calling the matter to the attention of the person or group engaged in such behavior is often enough to bring a stop to it. A person seeking resolution with the help of an adviser may ask the adviser to intervene in order to make the offender aware of their behavior. This intervention may result in an apology to the offended person, changes in behavior, and closure of the incident, thus providing the desired resolution,” it reads. “Where an instructional relationship exists between the parties, changing that relationship may also be helpful. On the other hand, if the offensive behavior continues, intervention may be only the beginning of a longer, more complex process of resolution and remedy.”
A big part of the reason this policy was flagged by the organization is that they have not defined a “racial stereotype” or how this policy is enforced on campus, College Fix reports. Multiple attempts by the news outlet to get more information about the policy went unanswered.