Akron-AAUP

More fun times at Akron-AAUP Spring 2026 Member Appreciation at Soap Box Derby Downs

New today in the New York Times:

In the face of unprecedented authoritarian attacks on our sector, the AAUP is building a powerful and militant resistance movement in defense of American higher education, the freedom to learn, and our democracy.

Join Us!

(Gift Link Below)

You probably heard this one, too. No, academic freedom is not brainwashing. It's the exact opposite. But that doesn't make a good soundbite.

Academic freedom isn't telling you what to think--it's asking you to think and then to share those ideas. Academic freedom allows there to be an open exchange of ideas, encourages diverse perspectives, and comes to life through discussion and debate. Academic freedom empowers individuals to form their own opinions based on research and evidence rather than other people's imposed beliefs. That's good, right?

Well, you should know that Ohio's politicians passed an awful piece of legislation--Senate Bill 1--that destroys academic freedom. Politicians, not top subject matter experts, are now determining what can and can't be taught in college classrooms. The new law imposes politicians' beliefs on Ohio students. Now that sounds a lot like brainwashing...