Unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Territories/Vancouver, BC - The Alliance of BC Students released a statement today supporting post-secondary students’ right to engage in political expression on post-secondary campuses.
“The Alliance of BC Students fully supports BC post-secondary students’ right to freedom of expression and the right to engage in peaceful political expression on campus,” said Emily Tang, Vice-President External of the UBC Graduate Student Society. “Students should be free to express themselves in a non-violent, non-hateful manner without fear of reprisal or retaliation by administrators or police.”
There is a rich history of student protest for a variety of causes at UBC and across BC, Canada, and the world - from protesting university policies, to campaigning for divestment, to raising awareness, to standing in solidarity.
"Post-secondary campuses should be places where people are free to express themselves and engage in public discourse, dialogue, and debate while remaining safe and inclusive for all students,” said Manpreet, Chairperson of the Alliance of BC Students. “We oppose post-secondary institutions or police issuing disciplinary actions or threats of disciplinary actions to students engaging in non-violent, non-hateful political expression on campuses.”
The Alliance of BC Students reaffirms that any type of hate, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism, are not consistent with its values or the values that make BC post-secondary education a place of openness, tolerance, and learning.
“Students have the right to both freedom of expression and a safe, inclusive campus environment, and working together is the way to achieve both,” said Manpreet.
The Alliance is urging post-secondary institutions, students, student organizations, and other post-secondary stakeholders to work together to address concerns on campus, including institutional policies, students’ right to political expression, and campus safety.
“Post-secondary institutions, students, and student organizations must work openly and collaboratively to address concerns to avoid the disturbing situations we are seeing on campuses in the United States,” said Manpreet.
For more information please contact:
Manpreet
Chairperson
Pronouns: she/her
Alliance of British Columbia Students
e: chairperson@bcstudents.ca
www.bcstudents.ca
The Alliance of British Columbia Students is a non-partisan society of student associations representing undergraduate, graduate, and trades students from across the province that exists to advocate on issues that affect post-secondary students in British Columbia.