Free Speech vs. Shielding Students: A False Choice

The U.S. Supreme Court once praised the unique qualities of higher education by describing our classrooms as "peculiarly the marketplace of ideas." Just last week at the University of Michigan, however, chalked anti-Islam messages in the center of our campus gave a different impression-- that we are in danger of becoming a marketplace of labels, epithets and petty attacks. Indeed, compelling evidence suggests we are already well down this path.

Participants in the debate over speech on campus have addressed the degrading of our discourse in two ways. They have either shrugged, declaring nothing can be done given the value we place on free expression. Or they have advocated for the suppression of speech to shield students from hurtful ideas. This is a false choice, and a frightening one.

More...