Academic Freedom
By Emilie S. Kraft (Updated June 2017 by John R. Vile and David L. Hudson Jr.)
After a threat of violence led to the University of California at Berkeley to cancel a speech by conservative writer Ann Coulter, demonstrations took place - amid strong police presence - to show support for free speech, as well as to condemn the views of Coulter and her supporters. Here, Daryl Tempesta tapes a sign over his mouth in protest during the demonstration in April 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Academic freedom refers to the ability of teachers, students, and educational institutions to pursue knowledge without unreasonable political or government interference. Included within this concept is protecting the right of universities and colleges to engage in all aspects of intellectual activity and a faculty’s autonomy in deciding what and how to teach and what research to conduct and publish. It seeks to promote the free exchange of ideas, scholarly debates, and the search for knowledge.
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/17/academic-freedom
