Defending Academic Freedom and Campus Free Speech

The freedom to learn, teach, research and have our beliefs challenged and our horizons broadened on our college campuses is under attack. Debate, discussion and open inquiry are essential to high-quality higher education as a public good, but a raft of repressive laws and policies aim to shut down access to knowledge and ban entire fields of study. Faculty and staff continue to be targeted, doxxed, harassed, disciplined or fired for exercising their academic freedom. State legislatures continue to pass bills that attempt to limit teaching and research, ban books and institute educational gag orders.

The AFT believes that defending academic freedom and campus free speech is fundamental to the development of new knowledge and strengthens our democracy. Students, faculty and staff must have the freedom to engage in robust debate and discussion—and to be free to disagree, while ensuring the safety of members of our campus communities. This freedom must be protected and defended so that students can learn to think critically and fully engage in a multicultural democracy.