Free Speech

Freedom of speech is a fundamental American freedom, and nowhere should it be more valued and protected than at America's colleges and universities. The "marketplace of ideas" upon which a university depends for its intellectual vitality cannot flourish when students or faculty members must fear punishment for expressing views that might be unpopular with the public at large or disfavored by university administrators. Yet this freedom is under continuous assault at many of America's campuses. Speech codes dictating what may or may not be said, "free speech zones" confining free speech to certain areas of campus, and administrative attempts to punish or repress speech on a case-by-case basis are common today in academia. FIRE's public cases dealing with freedom of speech, listed below, demonstrate our commitment to restoring and preserving this basic freedom on our nation's campuses. The future of a generation of students—and of liberal education itself—depends on our success.

• Download and order FIRE's Guide to Free Speech on Campus.
• Read the landmark letter from the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, July 28, 2003.
• Read Harvey Silverglate's "Memorandum to Free Speech Advocates, University of Wisconsin."

Key Cases

• Appalachian State University: Professor Suspended for Classroom Speech
• Auburn University: Ban on Ron Paul Window Hanging Exposes Double Standard
• Bellevue Community College: Professor Punished for "Racially Insensitive" Exam Question
• Binghamton University: Student Suspended for Posters Criticizing Department of Social Work and Government Agency
• Brandeis University: Professor Found Guilty of Harassment for Protected Speech
• Bucknell University: University Slams Door on Student Satires of Obama Stimulus Plan and Affirmative Action
• Bucks County Community College: Ideological Loyalty Oath for Professors
• California State University - San Marcos: Disciplinary Investigation of Humor Magazine
• Catawba Valley Community College: Student Banned from Campus after Protesting College's Deal with Debit Card Company on Facebook
• Catholic University of America: Rejection of Campus NAACP Chapter
• Central Michigan University: Abridgement of Freedom to Display Patriotic Symbols
• College of William and Mary: Suppression of Affirmative Action Bake Sale
• Colorado College: Students Found Guilty for Satirical Flyer
• Colorado State University: Student Editor on Trial for Protected Speech
• DePaul University: Censorship of Student Group Protesting Ward Churchill
• DePaul University: Student Punished For Exposing Vandals of Pro-Life Display
• East Carolina University: Student Newspaper Adviser Fired After Publication of Streaker Photo
• Hamline University: Student Suspended after Advocating Concealed Carry on Campus
• Harvard University: Proposed Speech Codes
• Harvard University: Threat to Discipline Student Newspaper Staff for Publishing Satirical Cartoon
• Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis: Student Employee Found Guilty of 'Racial Harassment' for Reading a Book
• Johns Hopkins University: Student Punished for Party Invitation
• Lake Superior State University: Veteran Professor Ordered to Remove Posted Materials from Office Door
• Michigan State University: Student Government Official Threatened with Suspension for E-mailing Faculty about University Scheduling Concerns
• Mohammed Cartoon Controversy: FIRE Response to Intimidation and Newspaper Disputes
• Montclair State University: Student Barred from Campus for Violating Unconstitutional 'Gag Order'
• Northern Arizona University: Students Threatened With Discipline for September 11 Commemoration
• Oakland University: Student Suspended over His Writing Journal
• Pennsylvania State University: Charges of ‘Discrimination’ Due to Religious Language in Club Constitution
• Pennsylvania State University: Disciplining of Professor for Pro-War Remarks
• Rutgers University: Bias Investigation of Satirical Newspaper
• Rutgers University: Refusal to Allow Christian Clubs to Require Christian Leadership
• Saint Augustine's College: Student Prohibited from Walking at Graduation Due to Facebook Post
• Saint Cloud State University: Thought Reform and Suppression of Free Speech
• Saint Xavier University: Reprimand of Professor for Anti-Military Comments
• Sam Houston State University: Faculty Member Takes Box Cutter to Students' Free Speech Wall; Police Threaten Students with Misdemeanor
• San Francisco State University: Speech Code Litigation Project
• San Francisco State University: Students Investigated for Stepping on Flags
• Sinclair Community College: Police Ban Signs at Religious Freedom Rally
• Southern Illinois University at Carbondale: Free Speech Crisis Over Unconstitutional Policies
• Syracuse University: Education Student Expelled over Facebook Comments
• Tarrant County College Bans Symbolic 'Empty Holster' Protest
• Temple University: Speech Code Litigation
• Temple University: Unconstitutional Security Fee for Geert Wilders Presentation
• Texas A&M University-San Antonio: Professor Dismissed After Publication of Critical Article
• Texas Tech University: Speech Code Litigation
• Tufts University: Conservative Student Journal Found Guilty of Harassment
• Tufts University: Refusal to Allow Evangelical Christian Club to Require Leaders to Share Group's Beliefs
• Tufts University: Use of Sexual Harassment Allegations to Suppress Protected Speech
• U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights April 4, 2011, Guidance Letter Reduces Due Process Protections
• University of Alaska: Investigation of Protected Speech
• University of California at Berkeley: Ban on Word "California" in Organization Names
• University of California at Los Angeles: Non-Reappointment of Controversial Professor
• University of California at San Diego: First Amendment Violations at UCSD
• University of California System: Recommendations for "Hate Speech" Policy
• University of California, Davis: Medical Student Put on Probation for Complaining About Email Monitoring
• University of California, Santa Barbara: Attempt to Stop Website from Using Letters "UCSB"
• University of California, Santa Barbara: Viewpoint Discrimination in Student Activity Funding
• University of Central Oklahoma: Police Require Permit to Wear Sandwich Board and Sign Up Students for Prolife Group
• University of Chicago: Censorship of Student's Online Speech by University Police
• University of Chicago: Unequal Treatment of Student Group
• University of Cincinnati: Speech Code Litigation
• University of Colorado at Boulder: Investigation of Professor for Controversial Essay
• University of Denver: Sexual Harassment Finding Violates Professor's Academic Freedom in the Classroom
• University of Georgia: Restriction on Fraternities’ Free Speech Rights
• University of Memphis: Student Newspaper Budget Cut Over Content
• University of Miami: Refusal to Approve Conservative Student Group
• University of New Hampshire: Eviction of Student for Posting Flier
• University of New Mexico: Censorship of Professor After Joking About Pentagon Attack
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Refusal to Allow Christian Clubs to Require Christian Leadership
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro: Punishment of Free Speech Protestors
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro: Review of Speech Codes
• University of South Carolina: Mandated Orthodoxy in the Classroom
• University of South Florida: The ‘Heckler’s Veto’
• University of Wisconsin - Stout: Censorship, Referral to Threat Assessment Team, and Threat of Criminal Charges after Professor Puts Posters Outside Office Door
• Valdosta State University: Student Expelled for Peacefully Protesting Parking Garages
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech): Ban on Certain Viewpoints and Requirement of Prior Approval for Speech
• Washington State University: Administrative Support for Heckler's Veto of Student Play
• Washington University: Mandatory University Viewpoint
• Western Washington University: Student Investigated Over Parking Ticket Remark
• Widener University: Law School Threatens Professor's Academic Freedom
• Yale University: Fraternity Suspended Five Years for 'Intimidating' Satirical Chant

List All Cases