FIRE Survey: Most Faculty Fear Discussing Controversial Topics

December 12, 2024 1 min read

Kathryn Palmer
Inside Higher Ed

Excerpt: The vast majority of faculty members—87 percent—say it’s difficult to have open and honest conversations about divisive political topics, including those related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, racial inequality and transgender rights, according to the 2024 faculty survey report “Silence in the Classroom,” published today by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

The group surveyed 6,269 faculty across 55 colleges and universities—including a mix of public and private institutions—on the state of free speech and self-censorship on their campuses.

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