The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Freedom of Expression and Discourse in High Schools

School leaders, educators, and students from Lab and 11 other independent schools from around the country spent a little more than two days sharing perspectives and experiences regarding free expression, discussing its importance in secondary schools and university campuses, and working to understand the unique challenges associated with preserving and promoting free expression and open discourse in these environments.

Wrote University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer in the conference program, "Our goal is to create an environment that fosters conversation about the state of free expression across the secondary education landscape, including strategies for engaging with diverse and conflicting points of view, and how to respond to such ideas in a constructive and effective manner."

Two participating educators articulated what they saw as a tension between an independent school's commitments to freedom of expression and diversity and inclusion. Students spoke to the complexity of the topic. Said one, "I became less hopeful about the issue of freedom of expression being solved in a high school setting. I thought we'd all have the same approaches but our opinions are so different."

At the opening dinner, U-High History teacher Christy Gerst spoke on The Historical Context of Freedom Of Expression and the Democratic Society.

Over the next days, often in small group discussions with people from different parts of the country, students and adults explored how to engage with ideas different than one's own, learned relationship building skills that enable constructive engagement, and addressed questions like "what is my personal stake in free expression?" During the last hours, attendees from each school regrouped to talk about what they hoped to bring back to their peers at home.

Says U-High journalism teacher Logan Aimone, "I was reminded that at Lab we have a lot of freedom of expression, notably in the ability of students to use their voice. At Lab, free expression is not just a theory, it's practiced daily—and not just in special cases but across the school community and among all types of groups."

A few days after the conference, Gerst reflected on her experience: "I was struck by the urgency of this work. Several conference participants pointed to the growing 'silences' during student discussions; students relayed that they felt there were tremendous 'social costs' to freedom of expression, and student leaders from student government to athletics should be called upon to protect it in spaces outside the classroom. In other words, how can we empower students to protect viewpoint diversity?

"I also want to explicitly share that I found this to be a rewarding and enriching experience—both professionally and personally—and I am grateful to Charlie [Abelmann], the University of Chicago Provost's office, and President Zimmer for it."

Says Aimone, "I was struck by the acknowledgment among various school groups that free expression is an important issue on campuses and the willingness of people to identify blind spots and tackle the tough questions necessary to ensure free expression and open discourse. Through this conference, we also identified some areas where we could do better, and I'm excited to be part of that conversation."