1940 Statement Analysis

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Limited Freedom of the 1940 Statement
Not every association related to the higher education agreed with the whole content of the 1915 Declaration at the time. The Association of American Colleges (AAC) did not agree with the AAUP’s approach to the practical procedure. A negotiation was needed between the AAC and the AAUP. Finally, they all endorsed 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure (the 1940 Statement). Marsden asserts, “The 1940s report was thus canonized and became the basis for American case law regarding academic freedom.” The 1940 Statement occupies another important position in American concept of academic freedom. Since the first endorsement by the two associations, many higher education groups “endorsed, quoted,
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Contrastively both the promise of full freedom and the possibility of limitation are included in the three clauses. May explains the section, “Asserting clearly that the teacher is entitled to full freedom in research, publication and teaching, the 1940 Statement moves to the all-important ‘limitations’ clause regarding religiously affiliated institutions. The 1940 Statement reads, “[Teachers] should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject. Limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims of the institution should be clearly stated in writing at the time of the appointment [italics added].” The 1940 Statement noticeably inserts this limitations clause related to the religious …show more content…
Marsden contends, “Institutions that limited freedom for religious or other purpose could be exempted from the general rules so long as they stated in writing their restrictions as conditions for appointments.” As the 1915 Declaration understands academic freedom that is based on “the public service,” the 1940 Statement relies on “the common good” for the basis of academic freedom. In other words, academic freedom can be confined for “the common good” or “the public service.” The 1940 Statement reads, “Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition [italics