Overview

• FIRE’s 2026 College Free Speech Rankings surveyed 68,510 students at 257 institutions, produced an average score of 58.63, and gave failing grades to 166 schools as attention surged after Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking on a campus.
• Thirty-four percent of students say using violence to stop a campus speech can be acceptable, a record level that has increased across political groups.
• The survey also finds widespread approval for less extreme suppression, with majorities saying it can be acceptable to shout down or obstruct speakers.
• FIRE cites the Supreme Court’s Forsyth County v. Nationalist Movement ruling, which bars administrators from imposing security fees based on anticipated hostility, warning that such charges effectuate a heckler’s veto.
• The group recommends viewpoint-neutral event rules, security decisions based on verified threats, staff training, and student education on free speech rather than cancellations or passing security costs to speakers.