Hosting a speaker students call demeaning
- Kind
- Ethical dilemma
Prompt
You are president of your university's debate club. Two months ago, the club invited a well-known commentator to give a talk and take questions. He is known for arguing, often in mocking terms, that people who receive government assistance are lazy, and he has a large following. A petition signed by 300 students asks you to cancel the event. The students say his talks demean students from low-income families and make them feel unwelcome on campus. Half of your club's executive wants to cancel, and the other half says a debate club should never shy away from views it finds offensive. The university says the decision is yours, but the club must pay $2,500 for security if the event goes ahead. What would you do?
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Ethical reasoning
- Critical thinking
- Communication
How to approach this question
This MMI station tests how you balance free speech on campus against the dignity and belonging of students who feel targeted, when your club exists to hear hard views. Name everyone involved: the 300 petitioners, students from low-income families, the divided executive, the club's members and the wider campus. Weigh canceling, proceeding as planned, and proceeding with changes such as a moderated format, a strong opposing speaker, or a session where affected students can respond. Address the $2,500 security cost and whether it's a fair use of club funds. Then commit to one course and explain how you'd communicate it to both sides. If the station changes the terms of the event, ask whether the debate club's own purpose still holds under the new conditions.
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