Image courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania
On the morning of a tumultuous and uncertain election day, I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath, who gave the keynote address at this year's “Skidmore Speaks” lecture series. In response to the incidents of doxing over the semester, Skidmore virtually brought to campus Dr. Ben-Porath and experts on social media safety to inform students on how to protect themselves online and foster a discussion about free speech on campus. Dr. Ben-Porath is the author of Free Speech On Campus and has given many talks across the country about the role of speech in academic discourse.
In the United States, hate speech is a “protected category of expression in terms of legal framework,” explained Dr. Ben-Porath. Dangerous rhetoric is protected and permitted in the American legal system, unlike in Canada or Europe, “where hate speech can be liable to punishment.” However, the legal definition of hate speech is not central to her thinking. In a general manner, she thinks of hate speech as an expression that treats a category of a person in a biased and hostile way and demeans that person based on a reason tied to their identity.
Dr. Ben Porath stated that in an academic setting, especially at a private college like Skidmore, an “educational institution can legitimately set up their own norms of discussion.” A professor can declare their own boundaries of conversation as long as they are not discriminatory, remain unbiased, and are appropriate. The ability to establish certain limitations on hateful speech extends to an institution's administration. Dr. Ben-Porath explained that an institution, such as a private college, can set its own rules with “broader [boundaries] or more restriction than with the broad sense of the law.”
Social media has a strong presence across the nation, especially on college campuses, where many students are connected on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. On the national level, there is a debate about the role of social media platforms in spreading misinformation and hatred, inciting violence, and mischaracterizing people. At Skidmore, BIPOC members of Skidmore News and Pass The Mic have been doxxed and received hate comments. Within our social media networks, Dr. Ben-Porath stressed the importance of “peer accountability.” Users get to decide what they post on their platforms, and despite the prevalence of certain posts circulating on feeds, it is vital to check information before posting to stop the spread of misinformation.
Along with her keynote speech, Dr. Ben-Porath also led a faculty and staff workshop about free speech on campus. While reflecting on the event, she explained the most impactful aspect of the conversation was “seeing the attention that Skidmore faculty and especially staff gave to trying to define the boundaries of speech.” Among faculty, a question that arose was the impact a professor’s difference of opinion or political viewpoint may have on a student. This conversation included attention to thoughts such as: Is hearing a different perspective doing a service to students to help them see a broader range of opinion or a disservice as it will cause students to feel nervous or uncomfortable? Dr. Ben-Porath noted there is no singular answer to these questions. However, she highlighted how attentive professors were to students' needs pertaining to the boundaries of free speech in the classroom.
There is still lots of work to be done towards making Skidmore an inclusive community for all. Dr. Ben-Porath emphasized the importance of students in the continued work in our community. She explained students are key in “helping us older people understand the care we need to give to the boundaries of speech.”