Red-state speech laws pose an existential threat to academic freedom
Preview:
State legislatures in Florida and Indiana are advancing laws that treat public university instruction as government speech, arguing faculty have no independent academic freedom rights. Federal courts have largely pushed back, with multiple circuits recognizing that First Amendment protections do not evaporate in the classroom. The growing shift of power from faculty to politically appointed governing boards poses a long-term threat to the quality and independence of public higher education.
Originally published: March 22, 2026
Author: David Wippman
Position: President Emeritus
Institution: Hamilton College
Published by: The Hill