ILLINOIS — As election day draws near, controversy is igniting in schools across the country over political expression. Illinois State University is one example, according to the New York Times.

A newsletter recently issued by the university ethics office prohibits faculty from donning buttons in class, affixing political bumper stickers to their cars and participating in political rallies on campus.

This statement inevitably inspired a piquant response from a number of faculty including emeritus professor Cary Nelson, who condemned the statement as having “a chilling effect on speech” and amounting to “interference with the educational process.”

The former professor said it doesn’t make sense for students to “exercise their constitutional rights and attend rallies and wear buttons advocating candidates,” while faculty cannot.

Presumably, the original newsletter had been issued with the intent to help distinguish between teaching students and indoctrinating them.

However, this is often a vague delineation as was emphasized in the criticism generated by the letter.

The school administration seemed to acknowledge this ambivalence when University of Illinois President Joseph White rescinded the original announcement, stating that university employees “may attend political rallies provided that the employees are not on duty” and may also display “partisan bumper stickers on their vehicles.”

The question that still stands then, is whether political buttons can be sported in the classroom.

Does prohibiting faculty members from wearing buttons in class violate their constitutional rights?

Justice Harlan, writing in dissent, said that unless the regulation was designed “to prohibit the expression of an unpopular view,” school officials “should be accorded the widest authority in maintaining discipline and good order in their institutions.”

SOUTH AFRICA — In South Africa, political turmoil of a different nature is erupting on campus. At the University of Zululand, tensions between political parties are becoming heated.

The conflict is largely a result of the launch of the Student Representative Council’s election campaign.

The dispute is between the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) of South Africa’s student wing, the South African Democratic Student Movement (Sadesmo) and the African National Congresses’ affiliate, the South African Student Congress (Sasco).

Hostilities culminated when a student was arrested for bringing a firearm to a student meeting.

In an interview with Independent Online, the vice-chancellor of the University, Rachel Gumbi, said that the University had asked the local police for help keeping the peace.

Sadesmo national President Thabo Xaba also voiced his concern for the elections.

“Some of our members had stones thrown at them and we are intimidated,” Xaba said. “Soon we will be meeting the leadership of the organization — the IFP — to organize security for our presidential candidate.”

Reach columnist Sara Grimes at news@dailyuw.com.