The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) reports on the state of free speech in higher education. In sum, it ain’t good.

Several colleges and universities in North Carolina received a “red-light” rating from the group, defined as:

Red Light: A “red-light” institution is one that has at least one policy both clearly and substantially restricting freedom of speech, or that bars public access to its speech-related policies by requiring a university login and password for access.

The red-lighters:

  • Appalachian State University
  • Davidson College
  • North Carolina Central University
  • North Carolina School of the Arts
  • University of North Carolina-Greensboro

And the yellow-lighters, defined as institutions with policies which could be interpreted as restraining speech in some instances:

  • Duke University
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Fayetteville State University
  • North Carolina A&T
  • North Carolina State University
  • University of North Carolina – Asheville
  • University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
  • University of North Carolina – Charlotte
  • University of North Carolina – Pembroke
  • University of North Carolina – Wilmington