Quebec on Wednesday tabled a bill on academic freedom that “promotes debate” in an educational context, prevents censorship and opens the door to the use of all words, even the most controversial.
Bill 32 will require universities to adopt a policy dedicated to defending the freedom of teaching and research. This mechanism must also allow students to file a complaint for remarks or behavior by professors deemed inappropriate.
Teachers must be able to address “ideas and subjects that are likely to shock,” Higher Education Minister Danielle McCann argued on Wednesday. It takes up the opinion of the commission on academic freedom, headed by Alexandre Cloutier, according to which “classrooms cannot be considered as safe spaces”.
“We will be able to use all the words in the educational, academic context. […] There will be no censorship in an educational context,” added Minister McCann.
Present at the National Assembly, Alexandre Cloutier indicated that he was satisfied with the bill, which takes up the main recommendation of the commission he chaired. “Quebec can become a model” in terms of academic freedom, he said. The bill “allows to address subjects that are sensitive or delicate”.
Further details will follow.
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