A recent survey conducted at Princeton University revealed that over 75% of students believe it is occasionally acceptable to yell over campus speakers.
Furthermore, 43% of respondents stated that they were okay with preventing other students from attending speeches they disagreed with, reflecting a concerning trend.
More alarmingly, 16% of the surveyed students expressed support for using violence to silence speakers with divisive opinions, according to Princetonians for Free Speech, an alumni organization.
The study also highlighted that 48% of the 250 students polled believed it was inappropriate to allow speakers who used offensive or discriminatory language.
Princetonians for Free Speech, established by Stuart Taylor Jr., a Princeton alumnus, journalist, and attorney, aims to promote free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity. The organization was founded in 2020.
Notably, Princeton ranked at the bottom of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s 2022 College Free Speech Rankings.
Another noteworthy finding from the survey was that 40% of students believed that a sports team should have the authority to suspend a player for holding controversial opinions.
The survey also revealed that many students expressed hesitation in expressing their opinions on contentious issues. Around 70% of respondents stated they would feel somewhat or very awkward openly disagreeing with a lecturer on a sensitive topic in class.
Moreover, 56% of participants indicated that discussing a contentious issue in class would make them feel somewhat or very uncomfortable.
