RISD, Universities and Free Speech

On September 19, the Richardson ISD sponsored a "College and Career Fair" at the University of Texas - Dallas. About 200 colleges with interest in recruiting RISD students to attend their schools were represented. Good news for Richardson's high school students? You'd think so. But frequent RISD critic Bill Ames had other ideas.

The gist of Ames's criticism is that some of the represented schools have room for improvement in their respect for students' free speech rights. Now I'm with Ames all the way in calling out schools for shortcomings in this regard. Where Ames goes off the rails is in holding up Jerry Falwell's Liberty University as an "excellent example" in campus free speech because they invited Bernie Sanders to speak and students didn't demonstrate, petition or picket him. That's commendable, not that the students were given any freedom of speech to do so. From the Liberty University student rulebook: "Student participation in on-campus demonstrations, petitions or picketing is prohibited unless approved by Liberty University administration." Liberty University can get away with this open suppression of free speech because it's a private university; public universities cannot. So much for Bill Ames's "excellent example" of campus free speech.

Anyway, what follows is my Facebook conversation with Bill Ames. His opening statement has been edited for brevity.

Voters Guide: City Charter Amendments 41-50

Fifth in a series:

• City Charter Amendments Nos. 1-10
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 11-20
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 21-30
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 31-40
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 41-50
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 51-60
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 61-70
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 71-83

There are 83 propositions for amending the Richardson City Charter on the November ballot. I'm here with a voter's guide to tell you how to vote. You're welcome.

Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota

From 2015 08 21 Madison

Before we give a big hello to Autumn and its cool nights, let's take a moment to remember Summer and its lazy days by the lake.

Last year's standard of excellence maintained its high rating this year. If I do say so myself (and it's my blog, so I do), the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota on a Friday afternoon in summer is the finest single place to be on any university campus anywhere. Add a brat and a beer and nowhere else comes close.

More photos after the jump.

POTD: Fire on a Bike

From 2015 03 24 Hue

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Hué, Vietnam. I can't say for sure how this man makes his living. Theories, anyone?

Voters Guide: City Charter Amendments 31-40

Fourth in a series:

• City Charter Amendments Nos. 1-10
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 11-20
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 21-30
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 31-40
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 41-50
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 51-60
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 61-70
• City Charter Amendments Nos. 71-83

There are 83 propositions for amending the Richardson City Charter on the November ballot. I'm here with a voter's guide to tell you how to vote. You're welcome.