Reinstate Free Speech at the University of Edinburgh

Policies that tell to student to refrain from "indicating disagreement with a point or points being made" threaten the very learning goals that universities were created for and make a mockery of them. See the "safe space" policy 6c here, which has no place in a place of academic learning where ideas are meant to be challenged and openly disagreed with: https://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/eusapolicy/internal/safespaceupdate/

Safe spaces stifle open debate and exchange of ideas. Anyone who supports such things as safe spaces is obviously afraid that their beliefs cannot stand up under scrutiny. Such is the refuge of cowards and those who hate free and open discussion and inquiry.

Meetings are not debates. Meetings are for the dissemination of information and discussions. Debates have strict sessions for each speaker with a time for open discussions afterwards.

Please please start using common sense the witch hunts and political correctness overdrive is damaging democracy

I support free speech

Free speech is a right in this country, as a student I support this petition

3rd year student reading Theology at Edinburgh University.

These 'no platform' and 'safe place' policies being enacted by many western universities are an ridiculous upfront to the values of liberty and freedom that we have long held dear. Out of respect for the people of the past that fought for our liberties and for the good of future generations, we have a duty to protect these rights. Let us stamp these repressive measures out before any more sinister develop.

Well done Charlie. Someone has to stand up and stop this lunacy. I never thought I'd see this in Scotland. In America some students are crying and asking for 'safe spaces' because they got upset when people dressed up for Halloween!

Our current 'safe-space' policy has made me embarrassed of our uni. It is controlling, dictatorial and damaging. When people are no longer allowed to raise their arms in council meetings, its a sign a well-intentioned policy has gone way too far. In attempting to protect the feelings of vulnerable individuals we have curtailed the rights of the majority of individuals, restricted the ability to express views without fear and made University-politics an unwelcoming and un-diverse place.

As a proud and honoured graduate of the University of Edinburgh and a modest annual financial contributor to the University, I was wondering when this complete and utter nonsense would cross the Atlantic. It is against the free flow of ideas that western universities have promulgated since the Renaissance. It is nihilistic; it is against learning; it is against human progress. It is damnable.

Safe spaces are censorship based on newspeak

what is this 'safe space policy' bs that we have in SU these days, Rod Liddle has written some articles about students boycotting and banning speakers like German Greer for being 'transphobic' after she'd suggested there were biological differences between genders, which also happened to me. It's like pseudo-radical-Stalinist-leftwing students can't stand to questioned and refuse to discuss anything they don't agree with. The middleclasses, pro-transgender christians need to grow up and get out of their little safe place groups and cliques

I have been shocked in recent months to hear from young student friends of the extent to which students' associations at Edinburgh University have implemented extreme 'safe space' policies. The petitioner puts an excellent case. Universities should encourage debate and freedom of speech, not stifle it.

Free speech is a basic human right, no ifs, no buts....

Hear, hear

'Safe spaces', a misnomer if there ever was one, allow for unchallenged ideologies to fester without argument, ultimately leading to their decay. If an argument cannot be challenged one does not live in a culture where free speech is respected.

what a mess

University should be an arena to encourage all kinds of debates, not shut them down.

Freedom of speech