In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Student unions and abortion debates

(Canadian University Press ) B.C. Supreme Court upholds student union ban on pro-life clubs

The Supreme Court of British Columbia issued a Nov. 5 ruling that supports the University of British Columbia student union in its decision to revoke club status from an anti-abortion group, Students For Life. The union has withheld funding and official status from the group since 2006, when the students involved refused to stop posting graphic images of aborted fetuses around campus. A growing number of student unions across Canada are banning anti-abortion clubs at their universities. Memorial University, Carleton University, York University, the University of British Columbia, the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students and most recently the University of Guelph all have policies to withhold funding and official status from pro-life groups on campus, taking the position that these groups interfere with women’s rights.

1.

Don’t censor the debate

Maclean's campus blog
Maclean’s magazine student blogger Joey Coleman makes a case against banning these groups to protect free speech. He writes, “the abortion debate is exactly that; a debate. What better place for a debate to occur than on an university campus” and receives heated comments from readers on all sides of the debate.

2.

Pro-lifers on the web

Life News
This website is run by an independent American-based news agency focused on “reporting news that affects the pro-life community.” It aims to inform more than 250,000 pro-life advocates each week and contains pages of links to U.S. and international anti-abortion news, including a story about a lawsuit settlement between a Pennsylvania high school and a pro-life student. The school had prohibited the student from handing out anti-abortion flyers and would not let her participate in a student-led vow of silence to protest abortions. A pro-life lawyer sued the school on the student's behalf and she is now allowed to participate in pro-life activities and hand out flyers on campus before and after school.

3.

Pro-choicers on the web

Pro-Choice Action Network
This site, run by a Canadian pro-choice lobby group, provides resources for those interested in the pro-choice ideals, including a pro-choice timeline of abortion history in Canada. The site also features a “Pro-Choice Press” with links to news releases and other related sites.

4.

Finding free speech on campus

Center for Campus Free Speech
The Center for Campus Free Speech is a Chicago-based organization made up of students, faculty and school administrators across the United States to explore issues surrounding the freedom of speech in schools and help university communities find legal advice for free speech campaigns. Its website lists details about projects the Center is currently working on, including investigating “free speech zones” on campuses.   

5.

Questioning university authority

Marquette Warrior
This is an independent blog run by students of Marquette University, a Catholic school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that summarizes the anti-women’s rights/ anti-free speech line student unions in Canada face by mixing personal opinion with excerpts from the National Post.