Can students handle views they disagree with?
I don't know what your experience was, but when I was fifteen, school wasn’t the most exciting place.
Most days, I went reluctantly. Yet there was one thing that kept me engaged: the chance to argue (in the civilized sense, that is, of course, ?). This meant I took part in every thought-provoking discussion, debate, and a bit of banter on offer.
So much so, when I bumped into one of my old teachers twenty years later, he exclaimed “Ha! The bush lawyer!”
Perhaps it's for this reason I’m so concerned about the case of Oliver Jull, a year 11 student at New Plymouth Boys’ High School.
I believe his situation is emblematic of a stifling culture of ideological conformity in our nation’s schools.
So we're not sitting idly by.
You may be familiar with Oliver’s story after it was first aired on The Platform a few months ago. After being invited to participate, Oliver wrote a speech for a competition at school but soon found himself barred from speaking in the finals.
The reason given by the school?
Oliver’s topic was apparently likely to “upset” some members of the audience.
Now, we can't have that, can we?! But which part of the school's motto: 'Friendship – Courage – Wisdom' is exemplified by shutting down a student's opinions?
In his speech, “The Decline of Western Civilization,” (which you can read here), Oliver presents his view on some factors that he believes have led to societal decline. Oliver’s speech points to the “erosion of traditional values, the decline of religion, and the impact of multiculturalism and mass immigration.” He says this as the son of non-religious parents.
Oliver’s an extremely bright, well-read, and articulate young man. His speech isn’t crass, nor does it dehumanise or vilify any person or group. But he also isn’t afraid to speak up. And in this case, he is saying things a lot of adults probably believe and wish they had the courage to discuss openly.
Personally, I don’t agree with everything Oliver argues. But that isn’t the point. Whether or not you agree with his views, sensible people recognise such a speech does not deserve to be silenced.
Oliver’s fellow students might take exception to his views; some may even take offense. But they will not be harmed by hearing it. They are free to tell him why they disagree after the competition.
This is how free and open societies operate. The practice of free speech cannot suddenly begin the day after you graduate high school.
To help put Oliver’s predicament in context, last year a student at his school won the speech competition when they spoke in support of co-governance. Oliver wasn’t alone in disagreeing with the ideas advanced in his fellow student’s speech, yet he fully supported that student’s right to air such views.
When Oliver tried to appeal to various senior staff at the school, he was rebuffed repeatedly. They would not allow him to publicly share, in the words of one teacher, his “black and white and right-wing views”.
Consider for a moment the kind of media storm that would result if such a prohibitive approach had been taken toward “left-wing views”.
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With his official avenues at school all but exhausted, Oliver went to The Platform to express his frustration about the culture of censorship he was facing. He even got the opportunity to read his speech on air. Support for Oliver’s free speech position was overwhelming.
The Jull family also reached out to the Free Speech Union for help. At the FSU, we take a cautious approach with schools. We acknowledge that educators have a special responsibility to their students and have to deal with the many challenges posed by today’s education system.
I’ve been a teacher, so I’ve learned to be careful not to rush to judgement in these situations. However, in supporting Oliver and his parents through discussions with the school, it has become frustratingly apparent to us over several months now that certain school leaders at New Plymouth Boys' High School have been less than transparent in their dealings with the Jull family.
The word gaslighting actually comes to mind.
Rather than admit to suppressing Oliver’s right to free speech, the principal has stubbornly maintained that Oliver’s entry never made it into the speech final in the first place, implying it wasn’t good enough to qualify.
There's one problem the school hadn’t realised. Oliver – frustrated with the hypocritical treatment he was receiving from certain staff – had taken it upon himself to record some of his meetings with them discreetly.
The recordings repeatedly and very clearly show that the school accepted him into the finals of the competition, and then censored Oliver, solely for his views.
We obviously don't recommend secretly recording others. But given what the recording shows, we think the school has absolutely no right to be lecturing Oliver about ethical standards.
Put yourself in a fifteen-year-old’s shoes for a moment.
When certain adults in charge aren’t willing to admit in public what they’re telling you in private, a recording is about the only thing that will prove you’re not making it all up.
Yet even with such proof, Oliver decided not to do anything with it. He and his parents still hoped an amicable resolution could be reached.
Unfortunately, those who attempt to censor others often have trouble admitting it. So, we thought today we’d shine a light on what Oliver has had to put up with for the last several months.
Some will say that Oliver’s case is a storm in a teacup. Surely there are bigger battles to fight? I disagree. If we don’t stand up for our youth in cases like Oliver’s, we fail his generation as a whole.
Informed, independent thinkers don’t magically materialise out of thin air. These qualities need to be taught.
They are fostered through the exercise of discourse and debate.
Teachers certainly have a duty of care to their students, but claiming that “harm” results from hearing challenging ideas is complete nonsense. And most of us know it.
Too many educators are allowing personal and political bias to shape discussion and debate in this country. The real harm is what happens when we avoid difficult topics in favour of thoughtless intellectual conformity.
Kiwis can do better. And this needs to start in our schools.
We've taken a number of steps to support Oliver, including writing to New Plymouth's MP, and the Director of Education for Taranaki, to ask if they think the school's actions are consistent with its statutory obligations, and whether or not they think free speech should be upheld by secondary school staff and governing boards.
Of course, we've also gone back and forth with the Headmaster of NPBHS, and hope to have a meeting with him soon. Our expectations are fairly low, given the way he's responded so far.
This may seem like an insignificant case, but it's one that highlights the way some people's speech is silenced, while others is protected.
That's not free speech, and it's not good for our society.
While we continue to work on individual cases like Oliver’s, we're also partnering with and supporting organisations such as the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council as it runs competitions around the country.
Just recently, NZSDC conducted its Northland high school tournament in Kerikeri. We commend the work NZSDC is doing with its fantastic team of volunteers around the country.
And last Friday, I had the privilege of conducting a 90-minute Speak Up! session with over 50 senior high school students from two colleges in Whangarei.
(Get in touch with us for more info and how your local high school might participate in FSU Speak Up! educational sessions and workshops.)
We're working hard to inform, challenge, and inspire the next generation with the free speech message.
Putting out fires is one thing, preventing them in the first place is another.
It is only because of your generous support that we're able to stand with students like Oliver, partner with the National Debating Council, and make sure students and teachers in schools understand the importance of free speech.
Thank you for helping make this all possible.
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Nick Hanne |
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