The University of Chicago sent a letter to all incoming freshman welcoming and congratulating them on their acceptance. The school went on to tell them they are not supportive of “safe spaces” or the use of trigger warnings on campus.
The Dean of Students, Jay Ellison says,
Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own
He states the letter comes after ‘free speech’ tension on campus. Aida Manduley, a licensed social worker, therapist, and sex educator says,
Trigger-warnings and content warnings, at their useful core, are not a frivolous invention to facilitate censorship, push away difficult conversations, or avoid rigorous intellectual inquiry. Instead, they are a tool for autonomy and empowerment, giving people information so that they make make the best choices for themselves regarding how to interact with something, be it a piece of media or even a conversation.
Source: Complex
