Seven in 10 college students say speech can be as damaging as physical violence, according to a new survey from the Knight Foundation, a journalism and free speech nonprofit. this pollA poll of more than 1,600 college students also found that college students’ confidence in the protection of their right to free speech has declined since 2016.
“The year 2024 marks a crisis for free speech on college campuses, as international and domestic conflicts like the Gaza war come to a head, bringing pressing political and personal issues into focus,” the report states. “As campuses crack down on protests, politics Leaders question the decisions of university administrators, emerging technologies make it easier and faster to generate misinformation, and higher education’s status as a forum for public discussion has never been more important or threatened.”
The Knight Foundation survey asked students a wide range of questions about free speech on campus and the First Amendment. The survey also asked students to identify their race, family income and political affiliation.
Sixty percent of students agreed with the statement: “The climate at my school or campus prevents some people from speaking out about things they believe because others may find it offensive.” That’s up from 2016 54%, but down from a high of 65% in 2021. to protect students, “rather than prioritizing students hearing a wide range of viewpoints, including those that may be objectionable.” Students are sharply divided in their political views on the issue, with 70% of Republicans, 53% of independents and 45% % of Democrats support allowing offensive speech.
Why do so many students support censorship? It’s not clear yet, but the rest of the investigation provides some clues. For example, 70% of students (including 82% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans) agreed that speech can be just as damaging as physical violence. 44% said they felt uncomfortable in college because “someone said something about your race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation – whether or not it was directed at you”, up from 25% in 2016 %.
On the bright side, more and more students are pushing back against policies such as creating restrictive speech rules or providing safe spaces. Since 2017, support for voice codes has dropped by 23 points and support for safe spaces has dropped by 15 points. Support for disinviting potentially offensive speakers has remained roughly the same since 2017, falling just 3 percentage points to 25% after a brief jump to 42% in 2019.
“American society remains at a crossroads about how to apply First Amendment rights in the 21st century, especially on college campuses,” the report reads. “That’s why thought leaders, administrators, professors and the public are working hard to address America and campus issues as college students It’s vital that their voices are heard when it comes to free speech issues.”
