Quebec bill on academic freedom ‘a slap in the face,’ says Concordia Black Student Union

Quebec’s bill on academic freedom that would make no words off limits in university classrooms is “concerning” for a Concordia student union.

Bill 32 tabled by the Quebec government would allow “any word” to be uttered in university classrooms as long as it’s used in an academic context.

BACKGROUND: Quebec tables bill on academic freedom, says no words off limits in lecture hall

That’s not right, according to the co-founder and president of the Concordia Black Student Union (BSU).

“It is really concerning because students have literally vocalized that they’re not OK – not with academic freedom – but academic freedom including the fact that professors could say the N-word or other slurs for the benefit of teaching,” said Amaria Phillips.

“It is a slap in the face for students like me who have vocalized that they’re not comfortable.”

The bill is needed said Danielle McCann last week, the province’s higher education minister. McCann said academic freedom for university teachers must be better defined and protected, adding that a legislative framework will help prevent teachers from censoring themselves.

“Classrooms are not safe spaces; they are spaces for debate,” McCann said, rejecting a common notion championed on university campuses across North America that students should not have to be exposed to certain kinds of hateful speech.

“It will be interesting to see how professors will use that, whether they’ll take full advantage or if we’ll continue doing what we’re doing, which is considering the emotional well-being of our students,” said Dr. Sabrina Jafralie, a McGill University course lecturer.

“No university wants to be painted as the school that allows the professors to say anything they want in spite of the harm of a student.”

#WATCH: “It’s really concerning,” says @amariaruthh president of the Black Student Union of Concordia University, after Quebec tabled Bill 32 to enforce new rules around academic freedom across the province. The bill would make no words off-limits within university classrooms. pic.twitter.com/luunsuL2d0

— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) April 10, 2022

The conversation around academic freedom has been in the spotlight since 2020 when the University of Ottawa suspended a teacher for using the N-word in class. Quebec Premier François Legault at the time sparked discussions by saying the university should have defended the professor for using the word in an academic context.

Last year there was a similar situation at Concordia University, which ignited more debate on what’s acceptable to say in an educational setting and what’s not.

“I don’t think professors are going to be mindful of what they think because of this bill now,” said Phillips. “Because now this bill is telling them you could say whatever you want for the purpose of academic freedom.

“There was never a problem with censorship before… it’s really again when the N-word was being said in class. And then we were starting to say, ‘OK, we don’t want it to be said.’ Then this bill shows up.”

READ MORE:

• McGill lecturer disagrees with report that Quebec university classrooms are not safe spaces
• Heated debate over offensive language in academic setting continues in Quebec
• Students calling for zero-tolerance policy after guest teacher uses n-word in Concordia lecture

Jafralie says she’s hopeful universities and educators will take the right approach and keep the students’ best interest in mind, but adds students are still able to fight back against the bill if they want.

That’s something Phillips says should not be the responsibility of the students.

“Why do we have to put this on students? … This is preventable all throughout,” she said.

“I thought it was interesting that in this whole time, instead of creating something to actually benefit students, to protect students, instead they decided to go on the professor side, and moreso protect the professors.”

—With files from The Canadian Press