When students choose silence and violence — the collapse of free speech on campus

Universities were once trusted as training grounds for democratic citizenship. They were meant to be places where young adults wrestle with complex questions, debate passionately and learn to live alongside those whose views they may find challenging. At their best, colleges modeled the virtues of listening, persuasion and tolerance, forming habits that would ripple outward into our civic life.

Those days are rapidly fading.

A new report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) makes clear just how far our institutions have fallen. The 2026 College Free Speech Rankings reveal a landscape in free fall. A total of 166 schools received failing grades for their campus speech climate, while only 11 managed to earn even a C. The national average score — 58.63 — would b