Comments on: “Free Online Education Is Now Illegal in Minnesota”

By: AMcA

AMcA — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:03:25 +0000

Does the First Amendment apply in Minnesota? The state really think it can condition your receipt of information on payment? That’d be a fun case to litigate. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

By: gitarcarver

gitarcarver — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 03:28:27 +0000

According to the original Slate article and a new article on Slate found here: http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/10/19/minnesota_coursera_ban_state_won_t_crack_down_on_free_online_courses_after.html

Minnesota has decided to back off of their enforcement of the law.

By: John David Galt

John David Galt — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:30:08 +0000

Pardon me if this is a stupid question, but haven’t Minnesota’s officials heard of the Commerce Clause? They need Congress’s permission to keep ANY interstate product or service out of their state, and I hope they will never get it.

By: ras

ras — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 20:08:57 +0000

I’d draw some instructive moral from this regulatory train wreck, but better not: if my Minnesota readers found my comments to be educational, we might all get in trouble.

Sgt Schultz was right all along!

By: James

James — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 19:45:25 +0000

Well, this screws me over rather handily. I use Coursera extensively since I’m a low-income individual and can only afford to take one or two classes at community college a semester (and that’s with the Pell).

By: mojo

mojo — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 19:17:36 +0000

Protecting entrenched Academia has NOTHING to do with it!

You cynic!

By: Uno Hu

Uno Hu — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 19:06:34 +0000

Another of the many (swarms) of laws passed among other reasons so that Lavrenti Beria can find a law you’ve broken, since no one can even know them all, much less follow them all.

On the the other hand, most laws are followed out of respect, and when the law loses respect among the citizens, it cannot be enforced even by the Lavrentia Beria’s of the world unless the jury system can also be disposed of. More and more our system cries out for relief and it will be up to citizens serving on juries to grant it . . . .

By: D

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:51:43 +0000

Thank you, Minnesota! You are making Mississippi look better all the time!

By: Jeff Hall

Jeff Hall — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:35:54 +0000

A discouraging news story. But at least tobacco litigation lawyers haven’t gotten involved yet:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/10/19/questions-about-faculty-list-new-university

By: Evan

Evan — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:26:44 +0000

Is it okay if they have to pay money to their ISP?