In a crushing blow to special snowflakes and Social Justice Warriors around the nation, the University of Chicago has issued a clear directive on the subject of free speech to the incoming class of hopeful students. There are no safe spaces or trigger warnings at this university and the exploration of ideas – even those which may be disagreeable or even offensive to some – will not be suppressed. (Fox News)

The University of Chicago, one of America’s most prestigious and selective universities, is warning incoming students starting this fall not to expect safe spaces and a trigger-free existence during their four-year journey through academia.

In a letter sent to the class of 2020, university officials said one of the defining characteristics of the school was its unwavering commitment to freedom of inquiry and expression. Civility and mutual respect are vital to the campus culture, the letter states, but not at the expense of shielding students from unpopular opinions or ideas.

“Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called “trigger warnings,” we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual “safe spaces” where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” the letter states.

While the initial movement toward so-called “safe spaces” on our nation’s campuses was treated with some degree of amusement by many, the trend grew to alarming proportions throughout 2015 and this year as well. The rejection of speakers who promoted ideas – generally conservative ones – which liberal professors and their brainwashed students objected to did nothing but expand the walls of groupthink which have come to define our colleges. Far more disturbing was the acceptance of the idea that differing opinions could even cause harm and required safe retreats for students where they could be shielded from concepts which conflicted with their established world view.

Such patterns of behavior do nothing to prepare students for life in the real world where one meets others from all walks of life who may challenge their accepted notions. These hothouse flower environments leave graduates with a dangerous weakness when they enter the workplace or move out to start families of their own in diverse communities. The University of Chicago is to be congratulated for this “bold” stand in support of free speech and debate. It’s what makes an open society flourish.

I frequently make a point of citing the tuition at colleges and universities where thought police control the minds of students, hopefully inspiring parents to not flush their money down such rat holes. At the University of Chicago the annual bill is not cheap, coming to $50,997. But in this case, families might find it money well spent if they want their offspring to stand a chance in a competitive world.