What America Can Learn From North Carolina on Free Speech

What makes America the best country in the world? Freedom. And when it comes to free speech, North Carolina may be one of the best states in the country. 

In the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s (FIRE) 2027 College Free Speech Rankings, five North Carolina colleges landed in the top 20 out of 261 campuses nationwide. Leading the way is Appalachian State University, ranked No. 8 in the nation, followed by UNC Greensboro at No. 11, UNC Charlotte at No. 12, East Carolina University at No. 15, and NC State at No. 18. Free speech on campus is a delicate issue at the best of times, but maintaining it amid constant political polarization makes North Carolina’s achievement genuinely impressive. 

Although North Carolina has found success in the rankings, free speech on college campuses remains a big issue that every university should work to improve. FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff says too many college administrators cancel controversial speakers, cave to pressure from students or the government to censor speech, and limit academic freedom. Instead of standing firm, campus leaders buckle the moment donors start threatening to pull funding, local headlines turn hostile, or students start protesting—which they never seem to stop doing. It seems to me that if you want a job where everyone likes you, you shouldn’t run a university. Lukianoff noted that some colleges are improving their free speech policies and that students may be becoming less willing to tolerate shoutdowns and violence on campus. Even so, he warns that much work remains to be done.

So, what are these five North Carolina schools getting right that others might be missing? Three lessons stand out.

Lesson One: Protect the right to hear controversial ideas, even when they make people uncomfortable. Lukianoff points out that some administrators cancel speakers or give in when students or government officials push for censorship. University administrators must be willing to stand their ground and resist pressure from both inside and outside the campus to cancel speakers simply because their views are unpopular.

In recent years, North Carolina universities have hosted speakers and events covering some of the country’s most polarizing issues. In 2026, UNC Chapel Hill hosted Seth Dillon of The Babylon Bee for a talk on political satire and free speech, while UNC Charlotte hosted a public lecture by professor Martin Shuster examining genocide and the role of modern states. In 2025, UNC Wilmington hosted Shane Winnings for a Turning Point USA event. 

Notice that the list of speakers cuts across the political spectrum. If you defend free speech, you defend everyone’s right to it. 

Lesson Two: Give students and professors the freedom to challenge ideas and think for themselves. 

For example, in February 2026, the UNC System approved a new definition of academic freedom, sparking debate over how universities can protect professors’ ability to teach contentious ideas without discouraging open discussion. The policy says professors can teach and research sensitive ideas related to their subject, while students can question and disagree with concepts discussed in class, as long as they meet academic requirements.

This gives professors more confidence to tackle difficult subjects honestly without worrying that teaching an unpopular idea will get them in trouble. 

Lesson Three: Put free speech commitments in writing. North Carolina offers a concrete example through the UNC System, whose Board of Governors has affirmed the Chicago Statement on free expression and adopted a commitment to institutional neutrality. 

Another example came in March 2025, when UNC Charlotte allowed two active-duty Israeli soldiers to speak at its “Triggered: From Combat to Campus” event, despite a petition with more than 400 signatures calling for its cancellation. Instead of taking the easy exit and citing “security concerns,” the standard administrative cop-out, the university let the event happen. In other words, it put its money where its mouth (or pen) is. 

Colleges can start by taking a look at their own rules and fixing policies that unnecessarily limit what students can say. Putting these commitments in writing gives students and faculty something concrete to point to when a university comes under pressure, making it harder for administrators to abandon those principles when push comes to shove.

Being able to speak your mind matters in every part of life, and nowhere is that more important than in a classroom, where asking questions, challenging ideas, and even being wrong should all be part of learning. So, to the other 49 states: take notes. Free speech is easy to support when everyone gets along, but it really matters what a university does when people disagree, get upset, and demand that someone be silenced.

Reagan Allen is the North Carolina reporter for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.