A significant portion of college students believe violence is an acceptable tactic to silence speakers on campus, according to a new survey. The 2026 College Free Speech Rankings from the FIRE Foundation found that 34% of surveyed students condone the use of violence to stop speakers, while 72% believe shouting down speakers is acceptable in certain situations.
The survey, which polled over 68,000 students across 257 colleges, also revealed that 28% of respondents frequently self-censor their classroom discussions to avoid backlash for less popular opinions. Nearly a quarter of students reported often censoring themselves around other students.
Claremont McKenna College in California reported a high level of student acceptance for disrupting speech, with 61% of its students finding shouting down speakers acceptable and 28% deeming violence acceptable in some cases. Despite leading the FIRE Foundation's rankings for free speech protection, even at Claremont McKenna, where liberal students significantly outnumber conservatives, over a quarter of students condone violence in some capacity, and approximately a third reported self-censoring at least once or twice a month.
Sean Stevens, chief research advisor for the ranking, suggested that increased political tensions at state and national levels may be influencing student attitudes on campuses. He described the findings as indicative of a culture where students permit such actions, even if they do not personally engage in them.
Campus Free Speech Challenges
Several universities, including Barnard College, Columbia University, and Indiana University, ranked poorly in categories such as "Comfort Expressing Ideas" and "Administrative Support." These institutions have faced high-profile free speech controversies, often related to the Israel-Hamas war and transgender issues.
For example, administrators at Barnard College reportedly investigated and briefly suspended student journalists covering pro-Palestinian protests, an action that negatively impacted the school's score. Columbia University lost points after its administration demoted a public health professor accused of "pro-Palestinian indoctrination" and for investigating a PhD student whose social media activity opposed gender-transition procedures for minors.
Historically, liberal-leaning students were more likely to condone violence, but the recent report indicates a near-even split between liberal and conservative respondents on this issue.
Sociologist Ilana Redstone of the University of Illinois commented on the broader issue, suggesting that the problem extends beyond free speech metrics. She noted a pervasive "moral condemnation of disagreement" within institutions, where controversial viewpoints are often deemed harmful, and holders of such views are perceived as having malicious intent. Redstone advocated for acknowledging differing goals to foster more open dialogue.