According to a new report released by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), attempts to punish college and university scholars for their speech have dramatically increased over the past two decades. The report found that in the year 2000, there were just four annual sanction attempts against scholars. However, by 2022, that yearly total had jumped to 145 attempts.

“Even one attempted sanction is one too many,” said FIRE Director of Polling and Analytics Sean Stevens. “There are serious problems on American campuses when it comes to free expression and academic freedom. Schools need to recommit to implementing policies fostering campus environments that reject attempts to punish protected speech.”

Additionally, the report revealed that 509 scholars were punished for their speech in the past three years alone, which nearly matches the 571 scholars that were sanctioned in the 20 years prior. FIRE said that 52% of these came from individuals on the political Left, while 41% were made by conservatives.