University Of South Carolina Gets ‘Green Light’ For Free Speech?

A surprise ratings reversal … but is it warranted?

By Erin Parrott

According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) – a national pro-First Amendment group – South Carolina’s flagship institution of higher learning was one of 66 colleges and universities across the nation to earn a “green light” rating for free speech. FIRE’s designation is reserved for institutions with no written policies which adversely impact or threaten student speech – but for many at the University of South Carolina, the group’s honor came as a surprise.

Just seven years ago, South Carolina made FIRE’s list of “ten worst colleges for free speech” – stemming in part from the school’s February 2016 crackdown of a “free speech” event sponsored by chapters of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) and College Libertarians. The crackdown came after left-leaning students claimed these groups allegedly violated their “safe spaces” by disseminating flyers that were “offensive” and “triggering,” resulting in a “notice of charge” letter and a discrimination investigation issued by the school to the event organizers.

Hoping to remove a negative rating that could tarnish the school’s reputation, South Carolina made a total of four revisions – elevating it from a “yellow light” rating from FIRE in the summer of 2023. The school’s board of trustees implemented two pro-free speech provisions to its code of conduct – as well as improvements to a comment posting policy on school-hosted websites and revisions to its “Carolinian Creed.”

“The Board of Trustees is steadfast in its support for free speech at USC,” board chairman Thad H. Westbrook said in a statement. “In fact, the board, the university’s leadership, and FIRE share a commitment to free expression. That commitment is ultimately about students and maintaining a culture for higher learning that opens eyes and ears rather than closing them to difficult ideas — even when the ideas are not popular or are deemed problematic by those in power.”

These new policies encourage students to exercise their First Amendment rights – including organizing protests, sharing views about current events, and posting their thoughts freely on campus forums with specified content-neutral rules.

Is Free Speech Upheld Consistently?

“USC went above and beyond to make its campus friendly to free expression,” FIRE’s senior program officer Mary Griffin noted. “Not only did the institution seek to ensure its written policies aligned with the First Amendment, but it also prioritized communicating the importance of free expression as a valued principle to students, faculty, and staff. USC’s all-around approach is a model we hope all schools will follow.”

Despite the positive rating, reports continue to surface about students in the Jewish community and those who support Israel being penalized for their outspoken views. Our media outlet remains committed to investigating these claims and ensuring that free speech is upheld for all students at the University of South Carolina.