Academic Freedom

Some educators fear removing controversial books from the K-12 curriculum will harm student development and critical thinking—and rob them of the cultural capital colleges expect them to possess.

Brown professors are divided over a proposed interdisciplinary research center. Some doubt it would really represent a wide range of perspectives.

Philosopher’s comments about pedophilia get him suspended from SUNY Fredonia. Some academics object, but others suggest there are limits to free expression and that Stephen Kershnar crossed them.

Judge mostly sides with University of Florida faculty members in a free speech case that cast doubt on UF’s political independence from Tallahassee.

Jordan Peterson is retiring from the University of Toronto, citing his “persona non grata” status—and academe’s “craven” embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Students’ happiness with their grade, not instructional quality, is a major driver of the correlation between high grades and high student ratings of instruction, according to a new working paper. Interventions don’t quite work, either.

A Penn State professor says he was protecting pro–vaccine mandate demonstrators when he struggled with a counterprotester. The professor was vindicated in court, but Penn State wants to fire him anyway.

Part performance, part protest, a professor’s video got him suspended from Ferris State University. He didn’t want to teach in person in the first place due to COVID-19, and he says he’s retiring. His union says the suspension is an attack on academic freedom.