The March conference was organized by the Undergraduate Political Science Association . If we say there are words you can't use, it drives bigotry underground. There's a power difference, and students are hesitant to confront a professor because it can affect grades and references.
Academic freedom is invoked here inappropriately.
We need to talk about the diverse reactions students have to material. That's what the University has tried to do, to take students' reactions into account. A lot of comments are unintentional or jokey. We all say things we don't mean to say. Most people are appalled to have offended someone.