National Free Speech News & Commentary

By Harrison Rosenthal
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

Excerpt: In a victory for academic freedom, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced its decision to not implement recommendations made by the School of Medicine’s Task Force to Integrate Social Justice into the Curriculum that would condition tenure and promotion on faculty commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

By Eduardo Peñalver
Chronicle of Higher Education

Excerpt: The fact that Martinez’s letter, written in response to her students’ constrained conception of expressive freedom, is being hailed as a watershed moment — even as dozens of states consider or implement bans on critical race theory — reveals a great deal about the complex and often confused nature of our national conversation about freedom of speech on (and off) campus.

By Yascha Mounk
Persuasion, Substack

Excerpt: Last weekend, PEN America—which is dedicated to defending and promoting free expression around the globe—canceled a panel in which dissident writers, including Russian journalists who have long been deeply critical of Putin’s regime, were going to present their work.

By Mark Mutz, Richard Gunderman
Heterodox Academy

Excerpt: Most observers expect that later this year the U.S. Supreme Court will rule that race-conscious admissions programs at universities are unlawful. A ruling of this kind has the potential to clarify the tangled jurisprudence regarding affirmative action in higher education. It also has the potential to begin to reduce the concern and confusion about diversity besetting American institutions.

By Lex Fridman Podcast
YouTube

Excerpt: Lex Fridman, an AI Researcher at MIT and podcaster, interviewed Harvey Silverglate. The video is linked below.

By Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

Excerpt: Earlier today, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Florida Senate Bill 266, which doubles down on the “Stop WOKE Act.”