Passed at the Delegate Assembly, Modern Language Association Convention, December 29, 2005.
Whereas the Academic and Student Bills of Rights (A/SBOR) will, wherever
embodied in legislation, give some power over course content and faculty expression to one
or another governmental agency, encouraging it to define such matters as
"indoctrination," "substantive disagreements" and "controversial
matter," "appropriate, " and the "spectrum of significant scholarly
viewpoints;"
Whereas, therefore, the purpose of these initiatives is the violation of academic freedom
of both students and faculty;
Resolved that the MLA oppose the A/SBOR and all related legislation.
The clause originally present as "whereas" no.2, omitted in the final
resolution as passed:
"Whereas their purpose is to enforce the teaching of
"conservative" ideas that cannot win support through their own merit;"