Academic Freedom Alliance Panel Discussion
Learn about the AFA and bring your questions
Campus Free Speech
Introducing the Academic Freedom Alliance
A new group defending professorial speech is launched
Tennessee Pharmacy School Nearly Expelled Student for Twitter Sex Talk
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is suing on her behalf.
"Censorship by Zoom and Other Private Platforms": The UC Academic Freedom Committee's Concerns
"The University’s responsibility to protect academic freedom and freedom of expression cannot be outsourced."
University Decisions About Funding Student Groups Can't Rely on "Unbridled Discretion"
An interesting ruling involving the University of Minnesota, by Judge Patrick Schiltz (himself a former professor).
The Supreme Court's Next Big Free Speech Showdown
May public schools punish students for off-campus social media posts?
"Is This Law Professor Really a Homicidal Threat?"
No, not me! More on the University of Illinois at Chicago John Marshall Law School / Professor Jason Kilborn controversy.
"The Law School Acknowledges That the Racial and Gender References on the Examination Were Deeply Offensive"
A controversy at the University of Illinois Chicago John Marshall Law School (not to be confused with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).
Colorado University-Denver Revises Unconstitutionally Restrictive, Viewpoint-Based E-Mail Policy
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) gets results.
"Faculty Are Free to … Disagree with Any Policy … of the University … Without Being Subject to Discipline"
Words to live by from the President of the University of Chicago, in response to demands to punish a professor who spoke out against various "diversity, equity and inclusion" programs.
Penguin Random House Employees Broke Down in Tears at Thought of Publishing Jordan Peterson's Next Book
"He is an icon of hate speech and transphobia."
UMD Public Policy School Mandating Ideological Statements on Syllabus, Requiring That Class "Materials" and "Discussions" "Respect All Forms of Diversity"
Seems quite inconsistent with basic academic freedom principles.
"Journalism Professors Demand Iowa State University Disband the College Republicans Over Offensive Tweet"
The University rightly responds: "At the core of this demand is a disconnect between the law and First Amendment freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution, and the desire by many in the campus community to punish those whose comments are hurtful to others."
Journalism Professors Demand Iowa State University Disband the College Republicans Over Offensive Tweet
ISU initially criticized the tweet, but later affirmed the group's free speech rights and declined to punish them.
How To Tell If You're Being Canceled
Kindly Inquisitors author Jonathan Rauch on the never-ending battle to defend free speech
Fifth Circuit Speaks Out Against Campus Speech Codes (in University of Texas Case)
Speech First, a pro-campus-free-speech advocacy group, can go on with its challenge to UT-Austin's speech codes—and the panel strongly suggests those codes (backed by anonymous reporting to the Campus Climate Response Team) are unconstitutional.
'This Building Has Caused More Problems Than It Solved'
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on schooling during COVID-19, the future of higher ed, and why her cabinet department probably shouldn't exist at all
'Where Would the Black Lives Matter Movement Be Without the Right to Free Speech?'
Ira Glasser, former head of the ACLU, is worried that his former group is embracing identity politics over free speech.
Ira Glasser: Would Today's ACLU Defend the Speech Rights of Nazis?
The subject of the new film Mighty Ira explains why social justice warriors are wrong to attack free speech.
Promoting On-Campus Discourse: Recommendations
Here are some ways to build a campus culture more open to free inquiry and discourse.
The Problem with Mandated Diversity Statements in Faculty Hiring and Promotion
Improving diversity is a worthy endeavor. But compelled “diversity statements” are a form of social engineering that, ironically, can be exclusionary.
Why a Broad View of Academic Freedom Is Essential
Most things faculty publish don’t lead to a backlash. But that doesn’t mean that there’s not an academic freedom problem.
Three Core Beliefs that Define the Boundaries of Free Inquiry and Discourse on Many Campuses
These beliefs shouldn’t be considered the only legitimate way to see the world.
How Social Media Have Changed Campus Climate
The dynamics of the information ecosystem have impacted research and teaching.
"Unassailable Ideas: How Unwritten Rules and Social Media Shape Discourse in American Higher Education"
Profs. Ilana Redstone and John Villasenor are guest-blogging this week about their new book.
USC Marshall Business School Dean E-Mail on the Greg Patton / "Neige" Controversy
"The university's Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX (EEO-TIX) ... concluded that ... Professor Patton's actions did not violate the university's policy."
USC Faculty Reaction to the Great USC Chinese Homonym Panic
"Scathing comments" from an anonymous faculty survey (reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education), plus an article in the Atlantic. You can't buy publicity like that, as they say, or faculty morale like that.
Petition to "Impose Further Disciplinary Actions" on University Students for TikTok Singalong
The students are at Florida International University, "Miami's first and only public research university."
"Students Demand Skidmore College Fire an Art Professor for Observing a Pro-Cop Rally"
"David and Andrea Peterson didn't even participate in the rally—they just watched it. The students don't care."
The Great USC Chinese Homonym Panic of 2020
Global reactions, plus a question [UPDATE: which has been answered, see below]. (This post, put up yesterday afternoon, was bumped so people can see the UPDATE.)
Students Demand Skidmore College Fire an Art Professor for Observing a Pro-Cop Rally
David and Andrea Peterson didn't even participate in the rally—they just watched it. The students don't care.
How Should Universities (Especially Law Schools) Treat The Powerful?
a response to an important and thoughtful argument by Jacob Levy
Statements from USC Dean and Provost About the Greg Patton / "Neige" Controversy
The framing is now that Prof. Patton's example was unduly "polarizing" -- but does that normally call for a professor to be switched in the middle of the course?
University's Center for Social Justice and Inclusion Hosts Race-Segregated Virtual Events
University of Michigan-Dearborn offers one discussion space for students of color, and another for whites.
Letter from USC Marshall School of Business Alumni About the "Neige" / Prof. Greg Patton Controversy
"This current incident, and Marshall's response so far, seem disturbingly similar to prevalent behavior in China [during the Cultural Revolution]—spurious accusations against innocent people, which escalated into institutional insanity."
USC Communications Professor "on a Short-Term Break" for Giving Chinese Word "Neige" as Example …
in a class discussion of filler words in conversation (which "neige" apparently is).
USC Suspended a Communications Professor for Saying a Chinese Word That Sounds Like a Racial Slur
Greg Patton was describing the Chinese filler word "nega," which earned him a temporary suspension.
Tenured Professor Fired for Accurately Quoting Leading Campus Speech Code Case
The professor, chair of the Central Michigan University journalism department, was teaching a media law class, and quoted a case that discussed the use of the word "nigger" at public universities.
"Some [Academics] Fear for Their Career Because They Don't Believe Progressive Orthodoxies"
From Prof. John McWhorter (Columbia) in The Atlantic.
Should Universities Recommend (or Demand) Epithet Filtering on Students' and Professors' Internet Devices?
A thought experiment that came to my mind; I'd love to hear what others think about it.
The Controversy Over Quoting Racial Epithets, Now at UC Irvine School of Law
Plus a new draft law review article on the subject, by Prof. Randall Kennedy (Harvard Law School), a leading scholar of race and the law, and me.
