A civil law student at the National University of Ireland Galway has questioned the introduction of a university Community Promise which could impede freedom of speech.
The student, Simeon Burke, is concerned the university could apply the regulations more widely in students’ lives. It asks students to follow behaviours that are not specified, as rules may ‘change regularly’.
Burke noted that some elements of the Promise read like compelled speech, with students signing to agree they will change their behaviour if they are challenged about it. The assumption being made is that the challenger is automatically correct.
