Despite emphasising the importance of freedom of expression, first-hand experience shows this was not extended equally towards the pro-life society. Instead, it was made very hard for Dundee Life Society to exist.
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"It was difficult for us to propose at University that unborn children were persons and worthy of the consequent protection of the law and esteem of society... the Dundee University Life Society were banned from displaying embryonic models at their events, which demonstrated how scientific reality is the pro-abortion ideologue's enemy. Conversely, we entertained protests outside our events whose character only demonstrated that civil debate was not attendant to our university's culture."
Joseph Dundee Life Society Committee member 2015/16 |
The University of Dundee’s policy regarding freedom of expression is that it is “a fundamental right protected under the Human Rights Act 1998 by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights” and that it is “also protected under the Common Law.” This policy us applied to all institutional events “to ensure freedom of speech within the law is assured.”
However, the University states that “whilst there is no legal prohibition on offending others, the University nevertheless believes that events should be managed so as to not to create an environment of fear, harassment, intimidation, targeted verbal abuse or violence, particularly with regards to age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation is likely to be unlawful.”
The University also states that they “may cancel the booking if the booking might, in the opinion of the University, prejudice the reputation of the University.”
Furthermore, Dundee also refuse to answer as to whether a student should be allowed to express a deeply held pro-life conviction, or whether an external pro-life speaker would be allowed to speak – citing that it is request for an opinion rather than recorded information.
Dundee University does note that the Equality Act “became law on 1st October 2010. It replaces previous equality legislation and is intended to strengthen equality law and to make it more transparent and easier to understand…. Protected Characteristics are the grounds upon which discrimination is unlawful. The protected characteristics defined under the Act are… Religion or belief (including lack of belief)…
However, the University states that “whilst there is no legal prohibition on offending others, the University nevertheless believes that events should be managed so as to not to create an environment of fear, harassment, intimidation, targeted verbal abuse or violence, particularly with regards to age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation is likely to be unlawful.”
The University also states that they “may cancel the booking if the booking might, in the opinion of the University, prejudice the reputation of the University.”
Furthermore, Dundee also refuse to answer as to whether a student should be allowed to express a deeply held pro-life conviction, or whether an external pro-life speaker would be allowed to speak – citing that it is request for an opinion rather than recorded information.
Dundee University does note that the Equality Act “became law on 1st October 2010. It replaces previous equality legislation and is intended to strengthen equality law and to make it more transparent and easier to understand…. Protected Characteristics are the grounds upon which discrimination is unlawful. The protected characteristics defined under the Act are… Religion or belief (including lack of belief)…