Commentary: We need academic freedom for the pursuit of truth

Benjamin Woodard, Rebecca Roth, Danielle Shapiro, and Marie Riddle August 18, 2023 1 min read

Benjamin Woodard, Rebecca Roth, Danielle Shapiro, and Marie Riddle
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: Princeton University contributes to society through truth seeking: a pursuit necessitating academic freedom and institutional neutrality. Yet recent discussion of an upcoming Princeton course has prompted us, as leaders of the Princeton Open Campus Coalition (POCC), to reiterate the truth-seeking mission and how it functions on campus.

Consequently, Larson is entitled to teach whatever books and topics she wants in her course, so long as students can form their own educated assessments of the material. This is true even if her choices are unpopular amongst students, governments, or other organizations.
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Commentary: An open letter in solidarity with Satyel Larson and in support of academic freedom

Guest Contributors August 18, 2023 1 min read

Guest Contributors
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: In light of the right-wing Zionist attacks on Professor Satyel Larson’s plans to teach Dr. Jasbir Puar’s “The Right to Maim: Debility, Capacity, Disability” in NES 301, we, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with Professor Larson, whose teaching and scholarship we value and admire greatly.

We are deeply troubled by the attempt to censor Professor Larson, ban Puar’s book, limit intellectual inquiry, and silence faculty-student exchange within and beyond the classroom, particularly on issues of such political, moral, and philosophical significance.

[Please refer to the article to see the signatures under the open letter].
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Video of Princetonians for Free Speech Reunions Breakfast

Kaleigh Cunningham June 21, 2023 1 min read

Princetonians for Free Speech (PFS) held a well-attended breakfast and panel discussion at the Nassau Inn on May 28, the Sunday of Reunions. The discussion was moderated by PFS co-founder Ed Yingling and the panelists were co-founder Stuart Taylor, Treasurer Todd Rulon-Miller, Director of Outreach and Communications Kaleigh Cunningham, and graduating seniors Abigail Anthony and Myles McKnight, who are PFS board members.
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Princetonians for Free Speech launch a new survey to measure the success of free speech advocacy

By Jessica Wills May 30, 2023 1 min read

By Jessica Wills
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

Excerpt: Princeton University is one of the worst colleges for free speech in the country, according to FIRE’s annual College Free Speech Rankings. But just how bad is it?
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PFS urges alumni and other Princetonians to submit their own comments to Princeton on removal of the statue.

EXCERPT: PFS will make the following points: 1. The process being followed by the Committee does not, and cannot, provide a true view of what Princetonians think on the issue in question because the atmosphere on campus greatly inhibits students, faculty, and others from stating their true views, especially where highly politicized issues are involved. 2. The debate over whether to remove the statue is not an isolated one, but rather has implications for other issues, most importantly, for free speech. 3. Removal of the statute would inevitably lead to petitions and demands to remove or rename other parts of Princeton’s history in a process that may never end. 4. Looked at more broadly, this continuing process of removing and renaming is an attempt to remove Princeton’s history, with all its complexity, in order to create a new university with a monolithic view that would make nonconforming views unwelcome. December 27, 2022 1 min read

PFS will make the following points: 1. The process being followed by the Committee does not, and cannot, provide a true view of what Princetonians think...
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COMMENTS OF PRINCETONIANS FOR FREE SPEECH ON THE PROPOSAL TO REMOVE THE STATUE OF JOHN WITHERSPOON

EDITORS NOTE: This is the submission sent by PFS to Princeton on the proposal to remove the statue of John Witherspoon currently being considered by the University.  December 19, 2022 11 min read

This is the submission sent by PFS to Princeton on the proposal to remove the statue of John Witherspoon currently being considered by the University. 
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