The ministers warned that the students were showing “shocking growth in support for censorship” after a poll showed that many approved of safety and avoidance of discrimination over unbridled freedom of speech.
Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) survey found what current students more most likely support measures that restrict freedom of speech or expression on campus, and approve of removal offensive materials and monuments, compared with their predecessors six years ago when last conducted a survey.
Nick Hillman, Hepi’s director, said the poll showed “very clear sample” of majority of students prefer interventions such as trigger warnings on well content and restrictions on speakers.
“In 2016 we found significant ambivalence and confusion about freedom of speech. Now it is clear most students want stricter restrictions will be introduced than those that have taken place … in in past”, Hillman said.
“This may be the first for the reasons of compassion, with Target of protect the other students, but that might also reflect a deficiency of sustainability among a cohort that faced unprecedented challenges”.
But Michelle Donelan, higher education minister for England, the report says.shows shocking growth in support for censorship at large range of indicators”. “University leaders can no longer remain on the sidelines, they must active steps to combat these intolerant attitudes on campus, promoting and protecting free speech,” she said.
“We can not allow our young people – future of this is great country – feel like their freedom of speech is suppressed and that they must bow to the opinion of the majority on campus”.
Of the 1,000 students surveyed, 61% said they wanted to “ensure that all students are protected from discrimination and not allow unrestricted freedom of speech” with 37% in 2016. Total 17% of students supported “ensuring unrestricted freedom of speech on campus, although delinquency may sometimes be permitted” – less than 27% who agreed in 2016.
results also showed that many students believe that universities are “becoming less tolerant of of Wide range of points of view”, with 38% agree and 27% disagree. But was clear division between men as well as women, with 51% of men agreement versus with 28% of women.
use of trigger warnings for uncomfortable course content appears to be actively supported by the students themselves, with 86% agree that they should sometimes or always used and just 14% against them. In 2016 32% of students opposed use.
A lot of more students now support religious or special interest groups consult on on-campus events – 64% compared with 40% in 2016 – while 77% agreed that employees should undergo compulsory training in cultural awareness.
Was smaller but growing support for more direct restrictions, including 36% who agreed that academics should be fired for using material which “greatly offends” students – more how double fifteen% who agreed in 2016.
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Growing minority also supported the removal of Holocaust-denying or racist literature from university libraries, although more than a third of pupils wanted all material to remain.
Only 20% said they supported the abolition events it was legal but made some students are unhappy. About a third supported the protests outside in event myself.
The survey showed little interest in a ban on campus visits by political parties or organizations. Only 26% wanted ban on far-right English Defense League, and 19% wanted ban the British National Party and 12% wanted ban the communist party of Great Britain.
There were few support for banning major political parties, with 11% want a ban on conservatives, 5% ban on Labor, and another 5% ban on liberal democrats.
