Higher Ed Censorship Becoming More Discreet, PEN Reports
Johanna Alonso | 08 October 2024 | Inside Higher Ed
The number of proposed bills aiming to censor what college and K-12 instructors can teach has declined since 2023—but more insidious legislation that indirectly impacts what professors can teach, including by weakening tenure and faculty governance, has become more common.
According to PEN America’s 2024 “America’s Censored Classrooms” report, a total of 29 bills aimed at dismantling the “autonomy” of higher education were proposed over the past year across 12 states; five were passed. The most common categories of proposed bills were ones that sought to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion; mandate institutional neutrality; or take curriculum control out of faculty’s hands…