Should the General Assembly protect free speech at private colleges?
California did it decades ago. Davidson College makes me think we should, too
My Observer column last week was about a free speech controversy at Davidson College. A conservative student passed out a pamphlet supporting Israel and pushing back against pro-Hamas narratives — and got hit with a disciplinary warning for it.
You can read the column here: Davidson College protects free speech — until it’s controversial
I didn’t have a chance to get into this in the column, but it got me thinking: Should we be doing more to protect student speech at private colleges?
California passed a law in 1992 requiring private colleges to protect free speech. North Carolina could follow suit, with a narrowly tailored version that exempts bona fide religious institutions but applies to places that make free speech promises like Davidson.
Should we do it? I’ll put a poll at the bottom of this email.
Quick hits
My other Observer column last week talked about President Donald Trump’s tariffs plans and why they resonate in North Carolina. Our history of furniture and textiles is still fresh in a lot of people’s minds, and the bipartisan consensus in favor of globalization and free trade is cracking. You can read it here: Why Trump’s tariffs resonate in North Carolina
At a premium
Important reads
The three voter registrations of Allison Jean Riggs (John Locke Foundation)
NC lawmakers seek to help kids in foster care stay with families who want to adopt them (BPR)
Why North Carolinians downsized governors (John Hood)
Top spenders on social media last week
Question of the week
Last week, I asked you about your favorite North Carolina-themed song. James Taylor’s “Carolina in my Mind” was the overwhelming winner, with 60% of the vote.
This week, I’m circling back to the question I posed at the beginning.