Thank you Prof. Brands for this crucial clarification. There are many areas in which basic rights are being eroded (voting, unreasonable searches, etc.), but the "the bounds of academic freedom" are indeed political questions, currently being contested in many localities and states. Emphasizing that the governing principle should be what students are allowed to hear (and encouraged to grapple with) puts the contests in the proper frame. Sadly, it appears that substantial numbers of people--both parents and administrators, Right or Left--are disturbed by the idea of guiding young people to independently manage complexity and conflict.
Thank you Prof. Brands for this crucial clarification. There are many areas in which basic rights are being eroded (voting, unreasonable searches, etc.), but the "the bounds of academic freedom" are indeed political questions, currently being contested in many localities and states. Emphasizing that the governing principle should be what students are allowed to hear (and encouraged to grapple with) puts the contests in the proper frame. Sadly, it appears that substantial numbers of people--both parents and administrators, Right or Left--are disturbed by the idea of guiding young people to independently manage complexity and conflict.