The 12 Worst Colleges For Free Speech

This article appeared in The Huffington Post.

U.S. News can tell you which colleges and universities are ranked the “best,” but what about your right to express yourself on campus? A critical part of the college experience is grappling with ideas that you might not agree with or that might even offend you. In fact, if you go through four years of college without ever being offended, you should ask for your money back.

While over the years we at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) have dealt with hundreds of examples of universities violating student rights (check to see if your school is one of them), the following 12 colleges have distinguished themselves for showing particular hostility to freedom of speech.

Some schools have earned this distinction by refusing to undo punishments of students and faculty for their free speech, others by engaging in ongoing campaigns against student speech, and one for regulating student speech to the hilt.

Private religious colleges like DePaul make the list because they promise free speech but fail to deliver time and time again. (As for schools like Liberty University and Brigham Young we explain our position here.)

Is your college censoring speech, too? If so, let others know in the comments section.

FIRE, a free speech nonprofit, effectively and decisively defends the fundamental rights of tens of thousands of students and faculty members on our nation’s campuses while simultaneously reaching millions on and off campus through education, outreach, and college reform efforts.