The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing this week to examine protections for free speech on college campuses. 

Like previous hearings on the topic, the discussion focused on the perceived failure of colleges and universities to foster open dialogue on their campuses. Subcommittee Chair Burgess Owens (R-UT) opened the hearing by citing the “dire picture of the state of free expression in postsecondary education.” Specifically, he criticized attacks against campus speakers and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that serve as a “political litmus test” for students, faculty, and staff. 

Other witnesses echoed this critique, citing recent high-profile incidents in which students have shouted down speakers with conservative viewpoints. One witness, however, pushed back on the notion that conservative voices are being silenced. According to PEN America chief executive officer Suzanne Nossel, her organization has “consistently documented mounting threats to free speech emanating from both the left and the right” and noted recent legislative efforts to restrict subjects that can be taught in college and university classrooms.