A new report reveals a disturbing trend of self-censorship on our nation’s college campuses, particularly among conservative faculty.
While many of our universities have long been viewed as liberal echo chambers, the latest annual report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) reveals just how one-sided the classroom debate has become.
The report covers 55 major colleges and universities around the country, surveying more than 6,000 faculty.
Key findings from the study
Alarmingly, one in five faculty members reported that they are likely to self-censor in professional contexts—whether in conversation, academic research, lectures, emails, or other forums.
And it’s not simply a reactive measure when their views are met with ridicule or opposition. FIRE notes that “[f]aculty today are also preemptively silencing themselves in their own research and writing.”
Conservatives, FIRE reports, were more than three times as likely to self-censor in each of those contexts than liberal faculty members.
Similarly, one in four faculty members indicated concern about expressing their opinion out of fear of losing their jobs. Again, that number rises when looking exclusively at conservative faculty. A startling 55 percent reported hiding their political views at least “occasionally,” compared to just 17 percent of their liberal counterparts.
To that end, almost half of the conservative respondents indicated that they feel they cannot express their opinions because they fear the response from fellow faculty members, administration, or their students; less than 20 percent of the liberal respondents said the same.
Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed indicated that a conservative would be a “poor fit” in their departments. A mere 3 percent said the same of liberals.
Self-censorship on college campuses hurts everyone
It is healthy—indeed necessary—that we engage with different perspectives and challenge our conventional ways of thinking. It’s refining. It helps us search for and uncover truth.
And it reminds us that, while others may think differently, they aren’t inherently bad for doing so.
Historically, our college campuses have been fertile ground for this kind of civil but spirited debate and discussion.
That’s why this report is so disheartening. Though it’s more prevalent among conservative voices, faculty of all political persuasions are actively restricting their own speech—to the detriment of their students and themselves. Instead of hearing opposing views and challenging each other’s ideas, they remain stuck in echo chambers of their own making.
Restoring a culture of free speech to these institutions is critical to a flourishing culture and society.
How we’re helping change the tide
Alliance Defending Freedom has a long track record of standing by teachers and professors who face backlash for their personal views—and we’ve seen significant victories in this space.
Dr. Nicholas Meriwether had a spotless record in his 20-year tenure at Shawnee State University. When he chose not to use biologically inaccurate pronouns to refer to his students, as doing so would have violated his religious convictions about God’s created order and his philosophical views, the university formally charged him with and disciplined him for creating a hostile work environment. After ADF filed a lawsuit on his behalf, Dr. Meriwether rightfully prevailed.
In another case, math professor Dr. Nathaniel Hiers jokingly responded to a flyer about “microaggressions” out of his sincere belief that the concept stifles meaningful debate. The University of North Texas pressured Dr. Hiers to recant his beliefs and attend diversity training. When he refused, the university terminated his employment, saying Dr. Hiers’ chalkboard message was “not compatible with the values of [his] department.” ADF filed a lawsuit on Dr. Hiers’s behalf and later secured a favorable settlement for the professor.
These are just two examples of the changing tide. We continue to see courts side with teachers and students alike facing similar challenges to their free speech rights.
I’m hopeful that wins like these will help build back a culture in which we encourage healthy debate and value different ideas instead of feeling threatened by them.
We—and the generations that follow us—will be better off for it.
By: Tyson Langhofer