Academic freedom and free speech
An expansive commitment
“Free speech and academic freedom are the lifeblood of any great university and any healthy democracy.
Princeton’s mission of teaching, research, and service depends upon giving the members of our community broad freedom to propound controversial ideas about science, humanity, justice, ethics, and every other subject, and to express those ideas forcefully and provocatively. Our mission depends upon a willingness to confront and respond to claims that may be heterodox, shocking, or offensive.
For that reason, Princeton’s policy on free expression provides students, faculty, and staff with ‘the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn.’ Our policy, like the First Amendment, protects even speech regarded by ‘some or … most members of the University community to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrong-headed.’ ”