Vision on the useful right to free speech

Short thesis 14-12-2022

At XXX our vision is to develop a community of caring, compassionate, honest, open-minded global citizens who enjoy learning in critical and creative ways.

We as a school have a Code of Conduct which refers to the European Convention for Human Rights (ECHR). In this Treaty, the right to free speech is stipulated. The purpose of free speech is to safeguard democracy. (It is almost impossible to commit huge crimes and huge fraud in an environment where there is free speech.)

The Right to free speech is not just to safeguard the individual speaking, guarding against prosecution or imprisonment. It is also the safeguard the community from abuses of power, and from systemic corruption.

Ever since the murder on President Kennedy in 1963, the freedom of speech has been under renewed attack.

A school is a sensitive environment. So is a university. Or a hospital. Or a ministry. Or a health institute. We are lucky to still have 1366 peer reviewed studies identifying hazards.

All these places have lost the culture of free speech in the last years. How could corruption ever be detected and tackled, when those in the know are only allowed their free speech at home, or with likeminded individuals who already are aware of the matter which requires discussion? Everybody gets shut up and/or fired … at all the places that matter.

The provisions in the ETHR allow for the government to make laws to restrict the right to free speech. This can be necessary to protect the feelings against unwarranted expressions.

Nobody can or should be forced to listen to anyone about anything. But should person C be blocking communication from person A to person B on any issues which are experienced as sensitive to person C ? The price for politeness is injury to the body.

What if somebody would be very sensitive to Fire Alarms because of earlier trauma? Should we not sound the Alarm when there is Fire? Is it everybody’s own responsibility to assess whether there is a fire and to decide if they want to join the evacuation or not?

Or what if there were a gang of Loverboys operating near school? Should all students be free to make up their own mind? Could some students not take offence as we warn them against these loverboys? Should we then shut up about it, not hurting the feelings of our students, and let them decide on their own with their parents?

An e-mail box should not be filled with non-school messages. But we have to weigh the interests here: already 8000 people in Germany died (!) from vaccination. In Denmark[1] boosters are STOPPED for all under age 50. In Australia[2] under age 30. Who is aware of this?[3],[4],[5]

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