Universities should be places where students freely explore ideas. Universities should not be places where students muzzle themselves because they worry about what other people might think about their sincere ideas, concerns and criticisms. A recent survey by FIRE unveils massive dysfunction in the classroom. It appears that many colleges are training students to be social media tribe members rather than independent thinkers upon whom we can depend to challenge prevailing norms and improve our communities.

Fully 60% of students reported feeling that they could not express an opinion because of how students, a professor, or their administration would respond. This number is highest among “strong Republicans” (73%) and lowest among “strong Democrats” (52%). Black students are most likely to report an instance where they censored themselves (63%). Just 15% of students reported feeling very comfortable publicly disagreeing with a professor about a controversial topic. Only 11% of female students reported this, compared to 19% of male students.