Diversity trainings get dangerously close to compelled speech, legal scholar argues

The College Fix reports..

The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech — but it also protects against compelled speech — yet many universities essentially compel a certain type of speech through diversity trainings.

“Just as it is well-settled that the government cannot prohibit individuals from expressing an unpopular view, it’s also well-accepted that the state may not compel individuals to speak or adopt the government’s favorite point of view,” argued Terry Pell, president of the Center for Individual Rights.

The attorney and legal scholar made the comments during a virtual panel titled “How Diversity Efforts Can Threaten Free Speech,” hosted recently by the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.

In reference to common diversity trainings students take through their universities, Pell said that “the question is, whether requiring students to agree with certain … preferred answers as they go through the course … might be a form of compelled speech that violates the First Amendment.”

The College Fix recently reported on an EverFi diversity course that marks students wrong on subjective diversity questions.

Read more at  https://www.thecollegefix.com/diversity-trainings-get-dangerously-close-to-compelled-speech-legal-scholar-argues/