To the Editor:
I am writing to address some persistent misunderstanding and misinformation about the question of Dartmouth's deep and longstanding commitment to free speech, reflected most recently in the letter from Brandon Fenn '07 ("Student support for Smith's views on free speech," Feb. 20). In fact, Dartmouth does indeed have an explicit policy protecting free speech. The policy confirming "Freedom of Expression and Dissent" appears on page 9 of the Student Handbook. It states, "Freedom of expression and dissent is protected by College regulations. Dartmouth College prizes and defends the right of free speech and the freedom of the individual to make his or her own disclosures, while at the same time recognizing that such freedom exists in the context of the law and in responsibility for one's actions. The exercise of these rights must not deny the same rights to any other individual. The College therefore both fosters and protects the rights of individuals to express dissent. Protest or demonstration shall not be discouraged so long as neither force nor the threat of force is used, and so long as the orderly processes of the College are not deliberately obstructed."
It is also worth noting that Dartmouth is one of only a handful of schools in the country that have a "Green Light" rating from FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) for protection of freedom of speech.
