Speech Codes....whats the deal?

  Speech codes in universities are a neccesity. They provide clear rules on what is expected from the students to provide a safe and distraction free environment for learning. Although it does hinder your first amendment rights, it is important for the schools to provide a environment where the students paying money to attend do not have to feel threatened and out of place.  I agree with the basic idea of speech codes, because if I were to be in a situation where a group of students at school were harassing me, I would want the speech codes to prohibit this type of behavior. But the problem that comes along with speech codes is that every institution has their specific rules that they enforce. For instance at Deerfield high school we are not aloud to give people the stink eye. Some schools take these rules to a new level and then they just become stupid and are begging for people to break them. The idea of speech codes is good, but some of the codes and restrictions that come along with them are idiotic. At some point people need to stop being protected by a few stupid rules and get introduced to the real world. Because beyond learning institutions people are not going to have the luxury of certain speech codes any longer. The Fent has spoken.