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EDUCATION | USA
Decolonizing the University
Removing government and other influence from the classroom — a bold proposal to safeguard our First Amendment rights in education
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Columbia University’s disgraceful capitulation to the Trump administration alarms anyone who cares about intellectual freedom and academic integrity. Last year’s congressional hearings, which forced out the presidents of Harvard and Penn State were only a test. Now, under the threat of terminating all Federal funding and research grants, it took Columbia a mere week to give in. Its Middle Eastern studies department is now under the scrutiny of undisclosed influence operations. Similar threats have gone out to Yale, Northwestern, and Princeton. Speech is no longer free in America.
Today, government wants Palestine censored. Tomorrow, who knows whom else they’ll go after?! It is urgent to reconstruct our universities to be immune to influence from government, donors, corporations, or public pressure campaigns. With more students and faculty disgusted with academia’s silent compliance, we have an opportunity to remake the university entirely.
