E&W Blog

When students leave home to attend a college or university, few expect to have their freedom of expression stifled, but that is exactly what is happening on campuses across the country.
 
Attending college is supposed to be about learning how to think critically and engage with diverse points of view. Yet too many college students are harassed or discriminated against by fellow students, faculty members, and administrators for sharing their beliefs. Further, the trend of limiting First Amendment freedoms to so-called “free speech zones” is counterproductive to the professed mission of higher education. Luckily, there are organizations willing to hold these institutions accountable.  
 
According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s (FIRE) 2022 Speech Code report, 18.5 percent of colleges and universities surveyed earned a “red light” rating meaning that they had one or more policies that violate students’ right to free speech. Additionally, 68 percent of institutions earned a “yellow light" rating meaning these colleges and universities also have free speech restrictions.
 
As FIRE’s report states, “[F]ar too many colleges across the country fail to live up to their free speech obligations in policy and in practice.” No student should have to forfeit his or her right to free speech to attend a college or university.