The Missouri House of Representatives has passed an "intellectual diversity" bill, which South Dakota also debated a few years ago:
Students at Missouri's public colleges would have some legal protection against professors who bully students with their political or religious beliefs under a bill approved by the state House.
The House earlier this month overwhelmingly approved the Emily Brooker Intellectual Diversity Act in a 97 to 50 vote. However, lawmakers predict it won't win approval in the Senate this session.
Still, supporters say the House measure draws attention to a problem on college campuses and hope that schools will take it upon themselves to deal with the issue. Critics say it amounts to academic meddling.
Supporters like state Rep. Nathan Cooper, R-Cape Girardeau, don't view it as classroom censorship.
"I am not for dictating curriculums on campus or what teachers can teach and cannot teach, but there has to be some type of self regulation among the universities," Cooper said. He and state Rep. Scott Lipke of Jackson both voted for HB 213.
"The message needs to be sent to rogue professors who indoctrinate rather than teach that this activity will not be tolerated at universities," Cooper said.
Even if the bill goes nowhere in the Senate, Cooper said he hopes it will prompt universities to police the situation on their own.
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