What did the FIRE survey find about US college students' views on free speech?

The survey found that a majority of the 68,510 students surveyed across 257 US colleges and universities oppose allowing their schools to host speakers with controversial viewpoints, whether liberal or conservative.

How have US college students' attitudes towards disruptive tactics changed?

The survey revealed that support for disruptive tactics to silence campus speakers, such as resorting to violence or shouting down speakers, has increased and reached record levels, with one in three students expressing some level of acceptance for using violence.

Which US colleges and universities were ranked the highest and lowest for protecting free speech on campus?

Claremont McKenna College topped the list of schools with the best free speech policies and environments, followed by Purdue University and the University of Chicago. At the bottom were Barnard College, Columbia University and Indiana University.

Home / Education / US College Students Reject Hosting Controversial Speakers Across Political Spectrum

US College Students Reject Hosting Controversial Speakers Across Political Spectrum

10 Sep

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Summary

Majority of 68,510 students oppose hosting liberal or conservative speakers with controversial views
Support for disruptive tactics like violence and shouting down speakers has reached record levels
Only 36% of students say their university clearly protects free speech on campus

US College Students Reject Hosting Controversial Speakers Across Political Spectrum

According to a recent survey of 68,510 students across 257 US colleges and universities, the majority now oppose their schools hosting speakers with controversial viewpoints, regardless of whether those views are liberal or conservative. This marks a significant shift from previous years, as the survey's authors warn that the trend could have far-reaching consequences for students' critical thinking abilities and contribute to deeper political polarization.

The report, released on September 10, 2025 by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and College Pulse, also found that support for disruptive tactics to silence campus speakers has increased and reached record levels. One in three students surveyed expressed some level of acceptance, even if only "rarely", for resorting to violence to stop a campus speech, up from one in five in 2022. Additionally, only 28% of students said that it was never acceptable to "shout down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus."

Concerningly, the survey also revealed that just 36% of students believe their university clearly protects free speech on campus, with only 11 institutions earning a grade of C or higher in FIRE's assessment of campus speech climate. The report's authors caution that this hostile atmosphere towards controversial ideas will "only harm students' ability to think critically and create rifts between them."

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