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Table of Contents

Scholars Under Fire Database

Research & Learn

This research documents efforts since 2000 to get campus administrators, publishers, or public officials to punish scholars at U.S. colleges and universities for expressive activity that is, or at a public institution would be, protected by the First Amendment or that violates academic freedom.

FIRE’s methodology provides additional details. This database is updated every few weeks.

NEWS & ANALYSIs

Black and white image of students in a classroom with a flame illustration

REPORT: Scholars punished for their speech skyrocketed over last three years

A new report from FIRE finds that attempts to punish college and university scholars for their speech skyrocketed over the past two decades.

A college professor in the foreground with horizontal red bar graphs in the background, except for one which covers the mouth of the professor, indicating censorship.

Silence in the classroom: The 2024 FIRE faculty survey report

New FIRE survey finds faculty members are four times more likely to self-censor than at the height of the Cold War and McCarthyism.

Scholars Under Fire 2025 report cover showing a teacher and student in black and white with a red bullseye target over the teacher

FIRE SURVEY: Colleagues and faculty unions fail to defend scholars targeted for speech

FIRE reached out to the over 600 academics listed in the Scholars Under Fire database who were targeted between 2020 and 2024, of whom 209 completed our survey.

Graphic showing a black and white photo of a teacher at the front of a classroom filled with students with a red bullseye target over the teacher

Sanctioned Scholars: The price of speaking freely in today’s academy

This report presents the results of a survey of 209 scholars in this “Scholars Under Fire” database who were targeted for sanction because of their speech between 2020 and 2024.

Woman speaking through a megaphone

Scholars Under Fire: Attempts to Sanction Scholars from 2000 to 2022

This report documents scholars who have faced calls for punishment, and how scholars and administrators have responded to different forms of targeting.

Scholars Under Fire graphic face with redacted mouth.png

How many scholars is it okay to target for controversial speech?

Scholars Under Fire documents attempts from 2000 to 2022 to sanction scholars for speech that is — or in public settings would be — protected by the First Amendment.

News & Analysis

"Schools need to recommit to implementing policies fostering campus environments that reject attempts to punish protected speech." — FIRE Director of Polling and Analytics Sean Stevens

REPORT: Scholars punished for their speech skyrocketed over last three years
How many scholars is it okay to target for controversial speech?
FIRE SURVEY: Colleagues and faculty unions fail to defend scholars targeted for speech

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