Free Speech on Campus

by Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman,
The Huffington Post, September 25, 2017

Free speech is under attack in colleges and universities throughout the United States. A survey taken in 2015 revealed that 72% of students at Yale believe university officials should take disciplinary action against anyone on campus “who uses language that is considered racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise offensive.” Another poll found that about 50% of students nationwide support shouting down offensive speakers – and perhaps one in five do not oppose the use of violence. A not insignificant number of professors, no doubt, agree with these sentiments.