ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND ITS CONTROVERSIES

The University of the Philippines at Diliman affair where controversy erupted after Professor Gerardo A. Agulto of the College of Business Administration was sued by MBA graduate student Chanda R. Shahani for a nominal amount in damages for failing him several times in the Strategic Management portion of the Comprehensive Examination. Agulto refused to give a detailed basis for his grades and instead invoked Academic Freedom while Shahani argued in court that Academic Freedom could not be invoked without a rational basis in grading a student.

In 2006 trade union leader and sociologist Fazel Khan was fired from the University of KwaZuluNagal in South Africa after taking a leadership role in a strike. In 2008 international concern was also expressed at attempts to discipline two other academicians at the same university Nithiya Chetty and John van der Berg - for expressing concern about academic freedom at the university.

William Shockley of England was concerned about relatively high reproductive rates among people of African descent, because he believed that genetics doomed black people to be intellectually inferior to white people. He was strongly criticized for this stand, which raised some concerns about whether criticism of unpopular views of racial differences suppressed academic freedom.

is the freedom to teach, study and pursue knowledge without unreasonable interference or restriction from law, institutional regulations or public pressure

The belief that the freedom of inquiry by faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts (including those that are inconvenient to external political groups or to authorities) without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment

Is predicated on the theory that social progress occurs through individuals who depart from the conventional ways of thinking and acting The philosophy of this method holds that it is good for the teacher to provide a large measure of freedom in the educational program in order to liberate whatever genius is latent in any child.

1. FACULY ACADEMIC FREEDOM

2. INSTITUTIONAL ACADEMIC FREEDOM

3. STUDENT ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should be careful not to introduce controversial matters that has no relation to their subject. Limitations of academic freedom should be stated in writing at the time of appointment.

The curriculum belongs to the institution not to the faculty. The institution can demand certain standards of teaching and evaluate the faculty against those standards.

The curriculum belongs to the institution not to the faculty. The institution can demand certain standards of teaching and evaluate the faculty against those standards.

Institutions reserve the right to determine 1. Who may teach 2. Who may be taught 3. How it shall be taught 4. Who may be admitted to study

The professor in the classroom should encourage free discussion, inquiry and expression. Student performance should be evaluated solely on academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards.

In the Philippines

The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that, "Academic Freedom shall be enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning

 The teacher is a citizen as well as a teacher. He would like to be free as other citizens in deciding to join a church or a political party, to wear a style of clothes, to dance and to drink or smoke. So long as he exercises freedom in these matters in conformity with his community, not troubles will arise.

 If the teacher departs from the norms or stereotypes of the community, his fellow citizens would criticize his exercise of CIVIL LIBERTY. A teacher teaches by example even on out of school hours and off the school grounds just as well as during the time he is officially in school.

 Since the democratic community has the right to prescribe the curriculum it wants taught, it is only proper that the teacher should conform to its dictates in exercising his liberties as a citizen. Any man or woman, on becoming a teacher may well feel honored to ascend any pedestal of civic virtue. If unwilling, he should resign or seek another position

Teachers are not always able to distinguish clearly between their academic freedom and their civil liberty
Frequently, when they have exercised their civil liberties in such a way as to offend the community and the community demands their dismissal, they claim that dismissal would be an infringement of their academic freedom.

When a professor of Chemistry puts himself on public record as to his views on communism, he is really speaking as a citizen and not as a professor. On the topic of communism he is no more competent than any other man. Therefore the only protection he can expect is the protection of his civil liberties, not of his academic freedom.

When a professor of Chemistry puts himself on public record as to his views on communism, he is really speaking as a citizen and not as a professor. On the topic of communism he is no more competent than any other man. Therefore the only protection he can expect is the protection of his civil liberties, not of his academic freedom.

In exercising their civil liberties off campus, students must expect to run the risks of ordinary citizens, which is, indeed all they are. If they challenge the authority of civil officers, they will have to abide the consequences. Nor should campus authorities put students in double jeopardy by taking jurisdiction of the same offense when students return to the campus.

Although under extreme provocation civil police may have to invade the campus or school, it is much better if these academic precincts remain inviolate as a guaranteeof the freedom which properly obtains there.