College, politics, and conversation
By Melvin Najarian Sep. 25, 2024

Throughout history, college students have defended their stance on social justice and political ideologies through demonstrations and protests, often held directly on campuses. But colleges have not always been a safe haven for student activism—demonstrations against the Gulf War and Vietnam War became bloody, and Civil Rights and Israel–Hamas protests ended in mass arrests.
Colleges have long served as a place for students to express their opinions, especially political ones. However, in today’s world, students’ self-expression seems to be decreasing. A recent study shows that 52% of college students express concern about voicing their political views, emphasizing issues related to freedom of speech in higher education and citing potential loss of respect among professors and peers, or possible effects on grades. The U.S. politically has been more divided now than the past two decades. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 36% of Republicans consider Democrats to be a threat to the welfare of the country. Hence, it is crucial for college students to have the opportunity to openly express their political opinions and peacefully protest.
The Oct. 7 attack on Israel sparked a rise in political activism among college students across the nation. Those receiving the most national attention were protests at UCLA and Columbia University, where students demanded an immediate cease-fire and an end to US aid to Israel. In UCLA, law enforcement cleared out roughly 100 protesters and arrested 27 protesters due to campus policy violations and vandalization, per Rick Braziel, UCLA’s Associate Vice Chancellor for campus safety. Similarly, at Columbia, over 100 students were arrested after just one day of pro-Palestine student encampments.
These crackdowns and arrests are an infringement of freedom of assembly, a right held dear in this nation. All forms of nonviolent demonstrations, whether in support of Palestine or Israel, should be allowed without disruption and authorities involved. College institutions used to champion the idea of self-expression, a battle for a better and more peaceful society, have been now betraying the values that they use to uphold.
“When campuses call police to quell protests, constitutional rights are limited and students are prevented from peacefully spreading awareness of pressing current events. Even worse, when they involve law enforcement, it directly disincentivizes future protests, likewise suppressing the engagement of younger demographics in our political system,” Junior Raahil Sengupta said.
Elite colleges have established strict speech codes to regulate student debates on possibly offensive or controversial topics, aiming to create a more less controversial environment. For instance, Harvard has established campus speech codes, yet their wording remains vague. The vague language allows the administration to impose restrictions on students speech according to their own preferences, silencing students’ voices and discouraging debates on contentious topics. Elite universities have also begun restricting debates on controversial topics or limiting the participation of guests with differing views from the students and the college’s political stance. Dorian Abbot, a geophysicist at the University of Chicago was originally a guest speaker on climate change at MIT, but was uninvited because of his criticism of affirmative action. MIT graduate students and many faculty members felt that Abbot’s words against affirmative action had caused controversy, prompting the university to cancel the invitation.. The move ignores the intellectual input Abbot could have contributed to scientific discourse within the student body, instead choosing to focus on the professor’s personal opinions on an entirely irrelevant issue.
“Diverse viewpoints are necessary for everyone to discover many perspectives and see the world through a wider lens. By sharing these different perspectives, we learn to respect and accept one another, which can bring us together towards more effective solutions to our world’s problems,” Senior Amber Lee said.
College campuses have endured protests from students that attempted to bring change to social and political issues nationally and globally. Within higher education, creating an environment where controversial topics are debated respectfully and institutions are challenged and questioned is vital. It is through having an open dialogue and understanding how to have peaceful discussion with opposing viewpoints, that a society can grow and work collectively, ultimately guiding the nation toward a more promising future.
About the Contributors

Melvin Najarian
staff writer
Melvin Najarian is a junior at Leland High School who plays tennis and enjoys listening to music.

Lyn Kang
art director
Lyn Kang is a Senior at Leland High School and the art director. She love to draw digital illustrations and this is third year in journalism. She likes to watch sport game and hang out with her best friends.
Comments