Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Academic Freedom
Academic Freedom
Academic Freedom
ACADEMIC FREEDOM
Ms. Edna Dean Vergara-Marquez
Conflict of Definition
The term, Academic Freedom tends to be
difficult to define because its technical definitions
come from preferred educational custom and
practice (professional norm), faculty contracts
(professional norm), and from legal findings
related to constitutional and contract law (legal
norm).
In its everyday usage, its definition is more likely
to come from the folkways and mythology that
often define the educational culture.
Rationale
Proponents of academic freedom believe the freedom of
inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the
mission of the academy. They argue that academic
communities are repeatedly targeted for repression due to
their ability to shape and control the flow of information.
When scholars attempt to teach or communicate ideas or
facts that are inconvenient to external political groups or to
authorities, they may find themselves targeted for public
vilification, job loss, imprisonment, or even death.
In North Africa, a professor of public health discovered that
his countrys infant mortality rate was higher than
government figures indicated. He lost his job and was
imprisoned.
Academic freedom gives faculty members substantial latitude in
deciding how to teach the courses for which they are responsible.
In the Philippines
THE PROVISION OF ARTICLE XIV, SECTION 1 OF THE 1987
PHILIPPINE CONSITITUTION GUARANTEES THE PROTECTION
AND PROMOTION OF THE RIGHT OF ALL CITIZENS TO QUALITY
EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS AND THE TAKING OF APPROPRIATE
STEPS TO MAKE SUCH EDUCATION ACCESIBLE TO ALL. THE
DEMOCRATIZATION OF ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION
REFFERED TO IN THIS PROVISION AND THE RIGHT TO SELECT A
PROFESSION IS SUBJECT TO FAIR, REASONABLE, AND
EQUITABLE ADMISSION AND ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS.
ARTICLE XIV, SECTION 5 NO. (2) PROVIDES; ACADEMIC
FREEDOM SHALL ENJOYED IN ALL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
LEARNING
ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING
GIVES THE INSTITUTIONS THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHOM TO
ADMIT AND TO SET STANDARDS OF ADMISSION.
Justice Speaks
Teachers and students must always remain
free to inquire, to study and to evaluate, to gain
new maturity and understanding; otherwise our
civilization stagnate and die.
To impose any strait jacket upon the intellectual
leaders in our colleges and universities would
imperil the future of our Nation.
Chief Justice Earl Warren (Sweezy, 1957)
L/O/G/O
Thank You!