With the start of the academic year, campuses across the nation are preparing for more protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict. As students return to campus, the underlying issues that ignited these demonstrations—misunderstandings and misapplications of free speech—remain unaddressed. These protests have revealed a pressing challenge for universities: upholding the principles of free speech amid modern political activism.
While many protests last semester were peaceful, others have disrupted campus operations, led to altercations and vandalism, and made some students feel unsafe on campus. The actions of some students, coupled with the reactions of some administrators, highlight a troubling lack of understanding of free speech principles. Preserving a campus environment that encourages the contestation of ideas, allows dissent, and enables scientific discovery requires a steadfast commitment to free speech principles…
