National Free Speech News & Commentary

Emma Camp
Reason

Excerpt: A Tennessee 10-year-old was expelled from school for a full year after he pointed his finger in the shape of a gun and made mock "machine gun" noises, according to a ProPublica investigation.

The boy was expelled as part of a "zero tolerance" law in Tennessee that mandates any student who makes a threat of "mass violence" be expelled for at least one year. While the law, originally signed in 2023—following a shooting by a former student at a private school in Nashville—was recently amended to direct schools to expel students only for "valid" threats, the provisions of the law are still vague, and schools have considerable enforcement leeway.

Natalie Schwartz
Higher Ed Dive

Excerpt: Missouri Rep. Jason Smith, the chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx, chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, sent letters last week asking that the institutions share their campus plans with lawmakers by Sept. 5.

The two legislators also asked the college officials to explain what changes they’ve made to their disciplinary procedures to “help deter future misconduct.” The letters signal that Republican lawmakers will continue to scrutinize how colleges are responding to campus unrest in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

Juan Carlos Lara
KQED News

Excerpt: Most Bay Area universities are back in session for the fall semester, and with the return of classes comes the return of student organizers whose mass demonstrations and encampments rocked campuses across the country last spring.

Those organizers say they haven’t given up on their demands, but they are shifting tactics away from the 24/7 encampments. In recent weeks, university leaders have also announced policy changes that students fear will violate their first amendment rights and hamper their ability to organize effectively.

Johanna Alonso
Inside Higher Ed

Excerpt: The University of Texas system and its institutions are no longer permitted to “adopt positions based on political or social passions or pressures,” according to a new rule approved by the Board of Regents on Thursday, The Austin American-Statesman reported.

“Rooted in the Kalven Report from the University of Chicago, the policy reflects the principle that the institution’s role is not to take positions on political, social, or other matters unrelated to its operation but to uphold a community where students, faculty, and staff have the freedom to do so,” a system spokesperson told the American-Statesman.

Susan Svrluga
Washington Post

Excerpt: Columbia University is bracing for disruptive protests to resume as students arrive on campus this week, even as some hold out hope that the new administration will be able to broker peace. The days before the start of classes have been marked by restricted campus access, talk of giving campus security officers more clout and last-minute discussions about rules.

Many faculty, students and others have said they expect protests over the Israel-Gaza war to erupt with equal or greater intensity and predicted another chaotic year ahead.

Niall Ferguson and Jacob Howland
The Atlantic

Excerpt: You’re in. You’ve been admitted. And soon your parents will drop you off at your new university. It’s thrilling. It’s daunting. But what will you actually be studying in your freshman year?

All universities claim to provide some kind of intellectual foundation for their students. Sadly, the reality of what freshmen and sophomores are required to study usually belies the admissions-office propaganda.