Elite schools that are still committed to free speech

[Anonymous]

I read this article in the NYT today with a sense of real sadness. As an academic on a T10 campus, I echo the reality of what is being described. The pendulum has swung so much that now rather than being a “hotbed of liberalism” where conservative thought wasn’t well tolerated, we are now in a place where fear of the administration, bad publicity, and loss of donors is making it such that any controversial topic is steered away from - at risk of termination. Rather than a fulsome conversation around Israel and Gaza, for example, there is an expectation that it be avoided at all costs.

What colleges are doing this well - and in a balanced way? Harvard - after standing up for some time - is now toeing the new line. I was disappointed to hear about Northwestern in this article, and we know Columbia has laid down.


https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/opinion/harvards-campus-speech-trump.html

[Anonymous]

It is horrifying how colleges have cowtowed to Trump and his sycophants.

There was zero reason for them to do so same with the media.

[Anonymous]

Ehhh.

Pendulum swings. It went too far before.
It will even itself out.

[Anonymous]

Uchicago. Just don’t be surprised when a kid is allowed to say from the river to the sea. They believe in actual free speech, not just cherry-picked conservative grievance politics.

[Anonymous]

Harvard fired a high profile director for supporting research on health issues in Gaza. They don’t know what they’re doing and have created a hostile research environment to appease everyone and no one at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Some of these schools were hotbeds of hate (antisemitism). If they can fix that and welcome Free speech that isn’t hate speech, great.

UChicago does it well.
Harvard did it poorly.

[Anonymous]

All of them. My kid is at an Ivy and not liberal. Never been an issue (and it’s not Dartmouth or Penn).

[Anonymous]

This organization rates universities based on free speech:
https://www.thefire.org/colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of these schools were hotbeds of hate (antisemitism). If they can fix that and welcome Free speech that isn’t hate speech, great.

UChicago does it well.
Harvard did it poorly.

Uchicago does it well because hate speech doesn’t exist. If you think someone advocating against Israel is hate, don’t go to Uchicago- go to hillsdale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of these schools were hotbeds of hate (antisemitism). If they can fix that and welcome Free speech that isn’t hate speech, great.

UChicago does it well.
Harvard did it poorly.

Uchicago does it well because hate speech doesn’t exist. If you think someone advocating against Israel is hate, don’t go to Uchicago- go to hillsdale.

Nah.

I can tell you’ve been to neither school. Go back to Penn State, babe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of these schools were hotbeds of hate (antisemitism). If they can fix that and welcome Free speech that isn’t hate speech, great.

UChicago does it well.
Harvard did it poorly.

Uchicago does it well because hate speech doesn’t exist. If you think someone advocating against Israel is hate, don’t go to Uchicago- go to hillsdale.

Nah.

I can tell you’ve been to neither school. Go back to Penn State, babe.

Juvenile behavior. Chicago is committed to actual free speech, not your boring identity politics.

[Anonymous]

UChicago

[Anonymous]

You think that liberal colleges have not been hotbeds of identity politics for the past decade??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You think that liberal colleges have not been hotbeds of identity politics for the past decade??

who is gramps yelling at?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of these schools were hotbeds of hate (antisemitism). If they can fix that and welcome Free speech that isn’t hate speech, great.

UChicago does it well.
Harvard did it poorly.

Uchicago does it well because hate speech doesn’t exist. If you think someone advocating against Israel is hate, don’t go to Uchicago- go to hillsdale.

Nah.

I can tell you’ve been to neither school. Go back to Penn State, babe.

Juvenile behavior. Chicago is committed to actual free speech, not your boring identity politics.

I agreed with you.
UChicago does it best. And has for a long time. Super impressive.