President Trump is waging war on free speech and academic freedom. And too often, colleges and universities have waved the white flag. Over and over, places of higher education have given in to the Trump administration’s outrageous demands and allowed the federal government to have an unprecedented say in what gets taught and what people can say on college campuses. New York City’s Columbia University is at the center of Trump’s attempts to destroy America’s colleges.
Few have had a better seat to watch this assault on our cherished freedoms than Professor Katherine Franke. Franke is a former tenured law professor at Columbia who was put under investigation by the university in 2024 in the midst of the school’s crackdown on pro-Palestine speech. Then in January, she entered into an agreement with Columbia to leave the school after 25 years as a distinguished professor.
Few people have spoken out with more passion, clarity, and insight about the ongoing siege on academic freedom. On this episode, we speak with Professor Franke about her experience at Columbia, the climate of censorship, fear, and repression at Columbia and schools across the country, and efforts to fight back against Trump’s attacks.
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Guest: Katherine Franke https://www.instagram.com/profkfranke/
Resources:
Follow Professor Katherine Franke: https://www.instagram.com/profkfranke/
Inside Columbia’s Crackdown on Pro-Palestine Free Speech: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/inside-columbias-crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-free-speech
Mahmoud Khalil in His Own Words: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/mahmoud-khalil-in-his-own-words
What are the Stakes of Mahmoud Khalil’s Case: https://www.nyclu.org/podcast/what-are-the-stakes-of-mahmoud-khalils-case
NYCLU Letter: Columbia Should Not Capitulate to Trump: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/letter-columbia-should-not-capitulate-to-trump
For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/
For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts
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