UCLA and Activism
A Clash of Values
UCLA's Statement on Peaceful Protest
"UCLA supports peaceful protest and freedom of expression as fundamental rights," the university said in a statement. "However, we do not support activism that harms our ability to carry out our academic mission or that makes people in our community feel unsafe." This statement comes in the wake of a number of protests on campus, including a recent protest against the university's decision to increase tuition. At that protest, some students blocked entrances to buildings and disrupted classes. UCLA's statement makes it clear that the university is committed to protecting the rights of students to protest, but that it will not tolerate activism that disrupts the university's academic mission or that creates an unsafe environment. This is a delicate balancing act for the university. On the one hand, it wants to protect the rights of students to express their views and to protest. On the other hand, it has a responsibility to ensure that the university's academic mission is not disrupted and that the campus is a safe environment for all. It remains to be seen how UCLA will strike this balance in the future. However, the university's statement makes it clear that it is committed to both protecting the rights of students to protest and to ensuring that the university's academic mission is not disrupted.
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