“Free speech zones” are areas that universities specifically set aside as the only areas on campus that students and faculty can speak, protest, or gather signatures for a cause they believe in. In order to use these patches of the university, a person must request a permit or submit a request form three business days before the demonstration. These zones have faced an immense amount of backlash and court cases have been seen in the public eye recently. One case resulted in Georgia Gwinnett College abandoning their free speech zone policies and stating that any person could practice free speech anywhere on campus without a permit. Another case occurred at Arkansas State University, and organizations like Peace & Love and Turning Point USA were struck down and were not allowed to speak because they did not act within the confines of the rules of the “free expression areas”; this authoritarian behavior was enforced using university policy and local law enforcement. These kinds of acts are in question as to if they are in line with the free speech principles of American life and culture, and that perhaps is an issue for an academic institution which is meant to continue the growth of American culture and foster the dispersal of ideas to enhance the minds of our youth. 

            An approach to solve this problem in particular is to amplify the court-cases and calls for removal of these sorts of policies. The correct desired end under the circumstances would be to abolish these so called “free expression zones”, as free speech is a gift and a privilege bestowed upon society to facilitate growth all around.