College students’ attitudes toward free speech have trended downward in the last two decades. Large swaths of college students want to, and try to, censor views they oppose. These students cite emotional health concerns, which they conflate with concerns about physical safety — though ironically, they are willing to engage in tactics that threaten the physical safety of others. 

When faced with pressure, demands, and threats, administrators must not yield. Students have the right to petition for redress when they are offended by a speaker or professor, but when the speech in question is — or in public settings would be — constitutionally protected, the administration should not intervene. And there must be no tolerance when student protests devolve into heckler’s vetoes and/or violence. When this occurs, administrators must swiftly act to allow the controversial speech to continue, remove the hecklers, and expel those engaged in violence.

But holding the line is only half the battle. The real question is, how do we get students to understand the importance and value of free speech and a larger culture of open inquiry and debate — especially in higher education? As Greg and FIRE have pointed out in multiple places, including “FIRE’s 10 common-sense reforms for colleges and universities,” part of the solution is centering free speech values in hiring and admissions, teaching a scholarly mindset from day one, and insisting that colleges and universities uphold First Amendment standards across the board.