{"id":140316,"date":"2024-01-11T00:00:43","date_gmt":"2024-01-11T05:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=140316"},"modified":"2024-01-11T00:27:17","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T05:27:17","slug":"ut-dallas-removes-free-speech-rock-display-raising-censorship-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/ut-dallas-removes-free-speech-rock-display-raising-censorship-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"UT Dallas removes free speech rock display, raising censorship concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spirit rocks removed after students paint \u2018Free Palestine\u2019 and \u2018USA Stands with Israel\u2019<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

University of Texas at Dallas leaders\u2019 recent decision to remove popular free speech campus spirit rocks after students painted a series of pro-Palestine and pro-Israel slogans on them has prompted censorship concerns.<\/p>\n

The three boulders, installed in 2008, were initially designed to tout \u201cevent announcements, words of support and congratulations, welcome notes or creative endeavors,\u201d the university\u2019s website states<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But over the years they have also been painted with politically charged messages over the years, such as \u201cBlack Lives Matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were removed in late November after students used the rocks for statements such as \u201cWe are winning\u201d in solidarity with Israel and \u201cEnd the occupation\u201d in support of Palestinians.<\/p>\n

Some argued the decision was based in part on safety concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rocks were not a censor-less domain and needed to be approved by the university,\u201d said Steve Hodo, a retired UT Dallas professor who spoke to The College Fix<\/em> in a recent telephone interview about the rocks\u2019 historical perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey may have not removed the rocks because they sided with any political agenda but because they wanted to remove the chance of violence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The university\u2019s media relations team did not respond to requests from The College Fix<\/em> seeking comment.<\/p>\n

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sent a letter to administrators criticizing the removal and calling it viewpoint discrimination.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents have used the rocks for political expression, and the university has permitted this use, over the course of their existence. Removing this forum now over objections to students\u2019 political viewpoints about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict constitutes impermissible viewpoint discrimination,\u201d FIRE wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Messages such as \u201cVote blue,\u201d \u201cFree Iran\u201d and \u201cBlack Lives Matter\u201d never prompted their removal, according<\/a> to FIRE\u2019s Dec. 1 memo.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy providing the rocks for students\u2019 political (and other) messages, UT Dallas created, at the very least, a limited public forum for student speech,\u201d the memo stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cAllowing the rocks\u2019 use for political expression does not prevent UT Dallas from imposing reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. But because UT Dallas has both in policy and practice continuously held open the rocks for the purpose of student expression, including political speech, it cannot now limit that speech\u2014or cut it off entirely\u2014because it disfavors some of the views expressed,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n

The controversy began in mid-October. The UT Dallas student newspaper, the Mercury<\/em>, published<\/a> photos of the rocks, reporting they were painted over 11 times with alternating between pro-Palestinians and pro-Israel displays over the course of three days.<\/p>\n

The University\u2019s Division of Student Affairs\u2019 statement<\/a> announcing their removal argued they were only meant for, and have primarily been used, for promoting school activities and to grow school spirit over the years.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor several weeks, messages on the rocks have been inconsistent with their original purpose and guidelines. After careful consideration, the rocks have been removed,\u201d the university stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spirit rocks were not intended to be a display for extended political discourse, and because painted messages have been negatively impacting people on and off campus, our best solution was to remove them.\u201d<\/p>\n

In response, many student activists put aside political differences and argued the move amounted to censorship.<\/p>\n

A social media poll showed that 92 percent of the 1,532 students who responded disagreed with the removal, according to the Mercury.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey claim to value student input and the student voice, but they took away the only form of student voice or student expression that exists on campus,\u201d UT Dallas Student Government President Srivani Edupugant reportedly said.<\/p>\n

No violence, attacks or aggressive actions associated with the rocks have been reported.<\/p>\n

In a message from President Richard Benson, he wrote<\/a> on Oct. 16, prior to the spirit rocks\u2019 removal, that students \u201care conversing about their differences; they are gathering donations and peacefully protesting; they are shaking hands. There have been no reports of violence, nor have any events been interrupted.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE: Police escort Jewish students from ASU meeting after rocks thrown<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

IMAGE: Mercury screenshot<\/a><\/p>\n

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