Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for August 29, 2017

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
NOTD 8-29-17-edit.png

By Scott Rasmussen

The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

August 29, 2017: Freedom of speech has been one of America’s core values since long before the nation won its independence, and it was enshrined in the very First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Today, however, a number of colleges and universities are challenging the right to freedom of speech. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), 148 colleges and universities “maintain severely restrictive, ‘red light’ speech codes that clearly and substantially prohibit constitutionally protected speech.” That figure represents 33% of the 446 institutions whose speech codes were reviewed by FIRE.[1]

Another 263 colleges and universities (59%) earned a Yellow Light rating. FIRE defines a “yellow light institution” as one that “maintains policies that could be interpreted to suppress protected speech or policies that, while clearly restricting freedom of speech, restrict only narrow categories of speech."[1]

Only 35 (8%) of the universities studied have policies that “do not seriously threaten campus expression.” FIRE gives these schools its highest rating: Green Light status.

While the data shows a significant level of speech restriction, recent trends have shown a move in the direction of free speech. As recently as two years ago, 49% of schools had Red Light speech codes (down to 33% today). Also, eight schools have changed policies to earn Green Light status over the past year. That came on top of five other schools moving to free speech policies during the 2015 to 2016 school year.

FIRE notes an important distinction between private and public colleges. Public schools are constitutionally required to allow free speech. Private universities, however, “possess their own right to free association, which allows them to prioritize other values above the right to free speech if they wish to do so.” If a private school chooses to restrict freedom of speech, FIRE encourages them to do so openly and disclose that fact to prospective students.

While FIRE is critical of speech codes, proponents argue that these policies help foster more tolerant and respectful learning environments for students.[1]

For more information, see FIRE’s Spotlight report and check out the group's ratings for individual schools.

Here are the results by state:

StateGreen LightYellow LightRed Light
Alabama 104
Alaska 21
Arizona12 
Arkansas 4 
California 347
Colorado182
Connecticut 52
D.C.  4
Delaware 11
Florida283
Georgia 82
Hawaii 11
Idado 13
Illinois149
Indiana3112
Iowa 31
Kansas131
Kentucky253
Louisiana 37
Maine 43
Maryland121
Massachusetts 1113
Michigan 105
Minnesota 64
Mississippi222
Missouri 61
Montana 31
Nebraska 1 
Nevada 2 
New Hampshire121
New Jersey 46
New Mexico 21
New York21211
North Carolina892
North Dakota 2 
Ohio1113
Oklahoma 22
Oregon121
Pennsylvania41412
Rhode Island 21
South Carolina  4
South Dakota 22
Tennessee142
Texas 126
Utah 12
Vermont 12
Virginia3112
Washington 32
West Virginia 2 
Wisconsin 52
Wyoming  1
Total35263148
Percentage of schools rated7.85%58.97%33.18%

Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.


Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.

The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.

Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

Ballotpedia is the nonprofit, nonpartisan Encyclopedia of American Politics.

Get the Number of the Day in your inbox


See also


Footnotes