Terms of Respect defends student speech — but doesn't respect it

Ava Johnson December 02, 2025 1 min read

Ava Johnson
Daily Princetonian

In his recently released book “Terms of Respect,” Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 presents a strong defense of free speech on college campuses. He locates the roots of contemporary free speech doctrine in the Civil Rights Era and ultimately concludes that “students are getting free speech right.” 

This is a commendable analysis consistent with Eisgruber’s public defenses of student speech. But his framework is often unfairly paternalistic.

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