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Academic Freedom

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Academic freedom freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.

- Freedom to teach and do research without the constraint to discover and promulgate new ideas. ( Robinson & Moulton, 2002)

- Protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning.(1940 Statement of Academic Freedom and Tenure)

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

Historical Event that suppressed Academic Freedom:

• Socrates (470-399 BC) was put to death for corrupting the youth of Athens with his ideas

• Galileo (1564-1642) was sentenced to life imprisonment for Advocating Copernican view of the Solar System

• (1882-1890) – Teachers were fired for telling their students on Darwins view

The principle of Academic Freedom which were originated in Greece, arose again in Europe during the Rennaisance Period in which the Age of Reason came to maturity.

Origin of the Academic Freedom in the United States

• Academic Freedom in the United States were heavily influence by the German universities and the growth of the non sectarian America universities. The rise of ideological conflicts, especially relating to economic theory. The faculty began to feel the need to protect the faculty against the trustees and administrators whose view may be found unpalatable.

• In response to these conflicts, in 1915 the American Association of University Professors was founded and issued its Declaration of Principles on Academic Freedom and Academic Tenure (the “Declaration”).

1915 Declaration of Principles of Academic Freedom:

3 Elements stating the Academic Freedom:

1. Freedom of inquiry and research

2. Freedom of teaching within the university or college

3. Freedom of extramural of utterance (expression of judgement and opinions outside the classroom (Shaffer,2012)

1st Declaration : Basis of Academic Authority

Except for propriety and religious institutions, colleges and universities constitute a public trust. Trustees have no right to bind the reason or conscience of the faculty.

If a church or religious denomination establishes a college to be governed by a board of trustees, with the express understanding that the college will be used as an instrument of propaganda in the interests of the religious faith professed by the church or denomination creating it, the trustees have a right to demand that everything be subordinated to that end. (American Association University Professors) (Guide to Academic Freedom, Frederick B. Shaffer,2012)

2nd Declaration : Nature of Academic Calling

This emphasis on the independence of faculty applies not only to their individual work as researchers and teachers, but also appears to have implications for the shared governance of the institution: “A university is a great and indispensable organ of higher life of a civilized community, in the work of which the trustees hold an essential and highly honorable place, but in which the faculties hold an independent place, with quite equal responsibilities – and in relation to purely scientific and educational questions the primary responsibility.” (American Association University Professors) (Guide to Academic Freedom, Frederick B. Shaffer,2012)

3rd Declaration: The Function of the Academic Institution

Third, the Declaration considers the functions of an academic institution, which are (a) to promote inquiry and advance the sum of knowledge; (b) to provide instruction to students; and (c) to develop experts for public service. Faculty to have complete freedom to pursue their investigations and discuss and publish their results and to express themselves fully and frankly both to their students and to the public.

Declaration affirms that the university must provide an inviolable refuge from the tyranny of public opinion: “It should be an intellectual experiment station, where new ideas may germinate and where their fruit, though still distasteful to the community as a whole, may be allowed to ripen until finally, perchance, it may become a part of the accepted intellectual tool of the nation or of the world. Not less is it a distinctive duty of the university to be the conservator of all genuine elements of value in the past thought and life of mankind which are not in the fashion of the moment.”

(American Association University Professors) (Guide to Academic Freedom, Frederick B. Shaffer,2012)

Reiteration of the Principles of the Academic Freedom:

In 1940, the American Association of University Professors and the Association of American Colleges (today the Association of American Colleges and Universities) agreed to a shorter version of the Declaration, now known as the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. The basic purpose of academic freedom remained the same:

1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure states that:

|RIGHTS |RESPONSIBILITY |
|Freedom of speech |Responsible not to cause harm to anyone |
| Students do have a right to hear and examine diverse opinions, |Academy is guided by the best knowledge available in the community of |
| |scholars. |
|Teachers are entitled to full freedom in research and in the |Should be based upon an understanding with the authorities of the |
|publication |institution. |
|Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their | Cautious not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter |
|subject |which has no relation to their subject |
|Free from institutional censorship or discipline, |Knowledge should always be accurate |

(Shaffer, 2012)

The Supreme Court of the United States said that academic freedom means a university can "determine for itself on academic grounds:

1. who may teach, 2. what may be taught, 3. how it should be taught, and 4. who may be admitted to study."

The 1940 Statement goes on to deal with the subject of academic tenure. It provides: “After the expiration of a probationary period, teachers or investigators should have permanent or continuous tenure, and their service should be terminated only for adequate cause, except . . . under extraordinary circumstances because of financial exigencies.” The reason for tenure, and its protection, is to ensure both “freedom of teaching and research and of extramural activities” and “a sufficient degree of economic security to make the profession attractive to men and women of ability.”

Academic tenure protects academic freedom by ensuring that teachers can be fired only for causes such as gross professional incompetence or behavior that evokes condemnation from the academic community itself.

Academic Freedom of Students:

In the Classroom
The professor in the classroom and in conference has the obligation to maintain an atmosphere of free discussion, inquiry, and expression, and should take no action to penalize students because of their opinions or because of their conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. He also has the obligation to evaluate their performance justly.

A. Protection of the Freedom of Expression. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in particular courses of study.

B. Protection Against Unjust Grading or Evaluation. Students must maintain standards of academic performance set by the faculty if they are to receive the certificate of competence implied by the course credits and degrees. The student should have protection against unjust grading and evaluation due to error and prejudice

C. Protection Against Improper Disclosure. Information about student views, beliefs, and political associations which professors acquire in the course of their work as instructors, advisers, and counselors should be considered confidential. Protection against improper disclosure is a serious professional obligation. Judgments of ability and character may be provided under appropriate circumstances.

II. Student Records
Transcripts of academic records should contain only information about academic status. Data from disciplinary and counseling files should not be available to unauthorized persons on campus or to any person off campus except for the most compelling reasons. No records should be kept which reflect the political activities or beliefs of students Faculty, administrative staff, and student personnel officers should respect confidential information

Ethical Foundation of Love

“Marriage between man and a woman is ordained of God”
That family is the central to Creator’s plan

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."[Genesis 2:24]

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” [Colossians 3:18-20]
THE SCRIPTURES CONTAIN TENDER LOVE STORIES SUCH AS THAT OF JACOB AND RACHEL, AND THE MOVING STORY OF RUTH, THE MOABITE, WHO THROUGH HER MARRIAGE TO BOAZ BECAME A LINK IN THE GENEALOGY OF THE MESSIAH.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman,

lGod has ordained that there should be perfect love and perfect harmony between those who enter into the marriage relation. Let bride and bridegroom, in the presence of the heavenly universe, pledge themselves to love each other as God has ordained they should. awfully wedded as husband and wife.
Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.

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