National Free Speech News & Commentary

Trump administration asks colleges to commit to education overhaul

Trump administration asks colleges to commit to education overhaul

Rebecca Carballo and Bianca Quilantan August 04, 2026 1 min read

The Education Department is asking university leaders to publicly commit to a series of institutional changes, many of which are in line with the Trump administration’s higher education agenda, by the end of the year.

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New FIRE study finds record low number of restrictive campus speech codes

New FIRE study finds record low number of restrictive campus speech codes

FIRE August 04, 2026 1 min read

U.S. colleges are increasingly eliminating or narrowing restrictive speech codes, continuing an encouraging trend that reflects a greater commitment to free expression on American campuses, a new study finds.

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Why student journalists are asking to remove their names from articles

Why student journalists are asking to remove their names from articles

By Foundation for Individual Rights & Expression (FIRE) July 30, 2026 1 min read

Last summer, a former student journalist asked the University of Michigan’s student paper The Michigan Daily to take down or anonymize an article they had written more than 10 years ago. The article mentioned their involvement in a movement calling for the school to divest from companies associated with the Israeli government. In the email, they explained that their partner was a green card holder, and they were about to travel abroad with their young child. They worried they would not be allowed back.

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The University and Its Purpose: A Declaration of First Principles

The University and Its Purpose: A Declaration of First Principles

Adopted by Vanderbilt University's Board of Trust and Chancellor Daniel Diermeier July 30, 2026 1 min read

The declaration is a statement of purpose for the research university—a reaffirmation of pathbreaking research, transformative education, and the covenant between universities and the society they serve, grounded in academic freedom, merit and excellence. 

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Rebecca Tuvel Was Canceled. It Was the Best Thing to Ever Happen to Her.

Rebecca Tuvel Was Canceled. It Was the Best Thing to Ever Happen to Her.

By Evan Goldstein July 30, 2026 1 min read

Almost a decade after the "Hypatia Affair" nearly ended her career, the philosopher reflects on public shaming and being a cautionary tale.

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Postcards from the Global Free Speech Recession

Postcards from the Global Free Speech Recession

By Peter Bonilla July 30, 2026 1 min read

Having spent most of the past 20 years in the free speech movement, I highly recommendThe Future of Free Speech. It gives a good birds-eye view of modern speech trends in the free and unfree world alike, where authoritarian countries have become more authoritarian and liberal democracies less liberal and democratic. The U.S. remains the gold standard, but the book leaves me wondering if we have the political will to keep it that way.Below are some of my key impressions and takeaways from the book.

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