Number of colleges with heavy restrictions on free speech rises

The number of colleges and universities that have significant restrictions on free speech has increased, according to a new report from a free speech advocacy group.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, formerly the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, has released a new report on the state of free speech on college campuses, titled “Spotlight on Speech Codes 2023.”

The organization ranked nearly 500 U.S. colleges on the basis of a light system, with “green light” colleges having policies that “do not seriously imperil free expression,” “yellow light” colleges having “vague regulations on expression,” and “red light” colleges having “policies that clearly and substantially restrict free speech.”

According to the FIRE report, for the first time in 15 years, the number of colleges with the worst free speech rating has increased, as 12 colleges went from having a “yellow light” status to a “red light” status.

Laura Beltz, director of policy reform for FIRE and author of the report, told The Christian Post that the increase in “red light” college campuses came “for a variety of reasons.”

“Five schools in Minnesota were downgraded because the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system adopted a new, restrictive harassment policy. A few other schools adopted policies with restrictions on subjectively hateful or biased expression,” said Beltz…. (Excerpt from The Christian Post)