National Free Speech News & Commentary

David Deming
Forked Lightning, Substack

Excerpt: A few weeks ago, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released their annual College Free Speech rankings. Harvard ranked 248th out of the 248 schools that were ranked. Not only did Harvard rank last, but FIRE singled us out for special scorn.

My first instinct – and maybe yours – was to think they cooked the books to generate a headline-worthy result. So, naturally, I burrowed into the survey methodology like the good social scientist that I am. My conclusion was that we have a serious problem with free expression on Harvard’s campus. It’s not quite six sigma bad, because the point values for speech sanctions are somewhat arbitrary and there are sample selection issues with the FIRE database (everything gets more attention when it happens at Harvard, and some of the cases they document weren’t speech issues at all). Still, the student survey results are deeply discouraging.

Stephanie Lundquist Arora
Washington Examiner

Excerpt: Fairfax County’s school district updated its code of conduct this year to include a “required culturally responsive, learning intervention” for students with first-time “hate speech” infractions. In Fairfax County, hate speech is defined in the broadest sense possible to include “misgendering.”

Fairfax County Public Schools has a history of compelling speech, arguably violating the First Amendment. In the last year, the 12 Democrat-endorsed school board members have made “ misgendering ” and “deadnaming” offenses punishable with suspensions for students as young as 5. It has also implemented a bias incident reporting system , which restricts free speech and is being challenged in courts nationwide

University of Chicago News

Excerpt: At a time when many state governments are enacting or considering restrictions on what can be taught at public universities, a new survey developed by AP-NORC and the University of Chicago shows that large majorities of Americans oppose such restrictions and support many essential aspects of academic freedom in universities.

Jeanne Gilbert
UNF Spinnaker (University of North Florida’s Student Newspaper)

Excerpt: Earlier this year, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill requiring all Florida state universities to establish an Office of Public Policy Events and host at least four debates or group forums each year. Marking its inaugural event, UNF’s Office of Public Policy Events hosted a forum between faculty representing opposing sides of arguments on free speech and affirmative action.

The law stems from a larger push by the state for unfettered free speech at Florida public colleges and universities, with it stating, “Such debates and group forums must include speakers who represent widely held views on opposing sides of the most widely discussed public policy issues of the day.”

Bryan Paul
Washington Examiner

Excerpt: When thinking of college alumni, one generally imagines boosters donning their alma mater’s signature colors and cheering proudly for their team at homecoming games, or a multimillionaire being courted at campus events and donating substantial sums to fund an institution’s new building, sports complex, or scholarship program.

Jenna A. Robinson
James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

Excerpt: Last week, UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Charlotte won Heterodox Academy’s “Institutional Excellence Award” for having “done the most to advance or sustain open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement either on its own campus or nationally.”

UNC-Chapel Hill trustee Perrin Jones told the Martin Center, “The Carolina Community—our students, administrators, trustees, and faculty—is in agreement about the important role that freedom of thought, conscience, and speech play within both the university and our broader society.” Jones, who spearheaded trustee efforts on free expression and institutional neutrality, added, “UNC, as it has done before, is proud to lead the way in protecting, and advancing, these freedoms.”