Benefits of Freedom of Expression for Students

Andres Bonifacio, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Jose Rizal. Just few of our heroes who have fought for
our freedom. One of the many rewards of the freedom we have attained is the Freedom of Expression.
Dr. Jose Rizal said Ang kabataan ay ang pag asa ng bayan. As students, we should ask ourselves, how
are we making use of this freedom our Heroes have fought and died for?
According to Justice Isagani Cruz in his book Constitutional Law, Freedom of Expression is the
free and effective communication of ideas from mind to mind. As a result of this freedom, we now
have Academic Freedom. It is our freedom to pursue knowledge, to engage in any topic, to subscribe to
any belief and to freely express ourselves. For my speech today, I am going to discuss several benefits of
the said topic.
Firstly, it advances knowledge. Academic freedom gives students the right to study and freely pursue
knowledge. For example, we are free to choose which school to go to, which course to take, which
topics to focus on. For instance, we chose to study here in Perpetual because we believe that this school
will bring out the best in us. In this class, we are free to study any appropriate topic and share our
acquired knowledge and deliver a speech here in front.
Secondly, it helps us grow as individuals. Father Joaquin Bernas Stated in one of his articles that the
true essence of this freedom is that it invites dispute. It means that we are free to express ourselves
even if our idea is different from that of others. It also means that we have the right to accept ideas of
others or not to agree with them. To share a quote from Voltaire I may not agree with what you say
but I will defend to death your right to say it. The beauty of this freedom lies in having different ideas.
And as Maam Soriano taught us, No Man is an Island. It is true. We cannot survive alone and no single
person has all the knowledge. Through the exchange of ideas, we learn more, and as we learn, grow as
individuals.
Thirdly, it promotes responsibility. Our Supreme Court has ruled that the Freedom of Expression is not
without limitations. It does not include ideas that are intended to harm others. As for Academic
Freedom, it is only as good as how we practice it. We should always take into consideration social values
and school policies. Can you imagine a grade school student already talking about pre marital sex in
class? Or any student shouting and cursing at his teacher or classmates because they have different
ideas? Or can we say that we are truly free if every time we express our ideas, our classmates or even
teachers would ridicule them because they also have the freedom to express themselves? The Black
Law Dictionary defines freedom as doing right and never doing wrong. It is the most simple and most
beautiful definition of freedom. It is applicable in every aspect of our lives, including Academic Freedom.
By knowing and doing what is right from wrong, we become responsible for our words and actions.
Lastly, through all of these, we can be effective members of society. As students, we shall pursue
knowledge, grow as individuals and assume responsibility not just for ourselves, but for our society as
well. The reason some of us are studying education is to be able to teach and mold the young minds of
the future. The reason why some are studying medicine is to be able to help and cure the sick. And the
reason why we are studying law is to see that justice will be done

From expressing himself through his writings, Dr. Jose Rizal helped liberate our country. Our
heroes have risked their lives to insure our freedom and they passed the responsibility to us, for us to
insure that we will have a brighter tomorrow. US SC Justice Holmes stated in one of his rulings that
Freedom of Expression is not only a right but a duty of every citizen in order to help society. As I end
my speech, I will leave you with this question. How are we using the gift of freedom our heroes have
given us?