Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #271 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.
I spent 35 years of my career in education, except for five years, all of it in higher education. And I loved every minute of it.
It started when I was in college. I was a good student and liked learning. I admired my professors’ work and lifestyle. So, it was an easy jump to begin thinking I should try to earn a doctorate so I could teach in a college or university. After graduation, that started an eight-year grad school odyssey in which my new bride supported me all the way. Then, wink-wink, and 35 years go by.
Now, though, when I read or think about American higher education, I am often saddened because, frankly, it’s a mess.
While American higher education has long been admired for its research, innovation, and commitment to intellectual inquiry, in recent decades, critics from across the political spectrum have argued that many colleges and universities have experienced a decline in their commitment to open debate and viewpoint diversity. Some institutions have increasingly embraced ideological frameworks often described as “woke,” emphasizing concepts such as systemic oppression, identity politics, and equity in ways that overshadow traditional liberal education.
Classrooms and campus culture have, in some cases, become less welcoming to dissenting opinions. Speakers have occasionally been protested or disinvited, faculty members have reported pressure to conform to prevailing viewpoints, and some students say they self-censor rather than risk social or academic consequences. From this perspective, universities have shifted from encouraging vigorous debate to reinforcing a narrower range of acceptable opinions.
Surveys of faculty political affiliations consistently show that professors in many disciplines lean more politically left than the general public. This imbalance influences curriculum, hiring, and classroom discussions, potentially limiting exposure to conservative, libertarian, or traditional perspectives, certainly to religious perspectives.
The broader concern expressed by many observers is not simply that universities lean left, but that higher education may be drifting away from its historic mission of pursuing truth through reasoned inquiry, civil disagreement, and intellectual humility. The debate has prompted renewed calls for protecting free expression, emphasizing rigorous academic standards, and ensuring that universities remain places where competing ideas can be examined openly and respectfully.
At the same time, sadly and astoundingly, antisemitism has become a significant concern on some American college and university campuses, prompting widespread debate among educators, policymakers, Jewish organizations, and civil liberties advocates. Numerous incidents in recent years have raised alarms about the climate experienced by many Jewish students.
Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, reports of antisemitic incidents on campuses increased substantially. Jewish students at some institutions reported harassment, intimidation, exclusion from campus activities, and, in some cases, fear of expressing their religious or cultural identity. Protest encampments and demonstrations, while often organized to criticize Israeli government policies, also included rhetoric or actions that crossed the line from legitimate political expression into antisemitism by targeting Jews as a group or denying their equal participation in campus life.
Congressional hearings and investigations brought national attention to the issue, questioning whether universities had adequately enforced their own policies against harassment and discrimination. Several university presidents faced intense scrutiny over their largely lame responses, rightly leading to resignations at some ostensibly “prestigious” institutions.
It is important to distinguish between criticism of the Israeli government—which is protected political speech—and antisemitism, which is hostility, discrimination, or prejudice directed against Jewish people because they are Jewish. Maintaining that distinction is essential to protecting both free expression and the safety and dignity of Jewish students and scholars.
The increase in antisemitism in the United States has become a matter of serious concern for government officials, religious leaders, educators, and civil society organizations. Political and social polarization has intensified hostility. Left leaning extremist groups used this period of national tension to promote antisemitic rhetoric.
Many observers also cite declining civic trust, reduced historical knowledge about the Holocaust, and growing acceptance of inflammatory rhetoric as contributing factors. Addressing antisemitism requires consistent enforcement of laws against hate crimes, education about Jewish history and the Holocaust, promotion of respectful dialogue, and a clear distinction between legitimate criticism of governments and prejudice directed against people because of their religion or ethnicity. It also and most importantly demands the teaching and understanding of a moral code based upon Judeo-Christian values that respect all human beings as created in the image of God.
The treatment of conservative speakers on some American college campuses has also become a subject of sustained national debate. Institutions dedicated to the free exchange of ideas have become less hospitable to viewpoints that depart from prevailing campus opinion, particularly those associated with political conservatism.
A number of high-profile incidents have involved invited speakers facing protests, disruptions, or demands that their appearances be canceled. In some instances, demonstrations have remained peaceful, reflecting students’ rights to express disagreement. In other cases, however, events have been interrupted, speakers shouted down, or security concerns have led universities to cancel appearances.
Conservative student organizations have also reported difficulties hosting controversial guests due to heightened security costs, administrative restrictions, or fears of disruption. These barriers can have a chilling effect, discouraging students from inviting speakers who represent differing viewpoints on campus. The broader concern extends beyond individual events. Surveys have suggested that some students and faculty, from both conservative and progressive perspectives, choose to self-censor because they fear social or professional consequences for expressing unpopular opinions. This climate diminishes the robust intellectual engagement that universities are intended to foster.
The ongoing debate highlights a fundamental challenge for higher education: balancing freedom of expression, campus safety, and mutual respect while preserving the university’s historic mission as a place where competing, even ugly, ideas can be examined critically, openly, and without intimidation.
American higher education faces a series of significant challenges. Affordability is one. Rising tuition, student debt, and the increasing cost of operating colleges have led many families to question the value of a four-year degree. At the same time, demographic changes and declining enrollment have placed financial pressure on many institutions, particularly small private colleges and regional public universities.
A second challenge is restoring public confidence. Surveys indicate that Americans have become more divided over whether colleges effectively prepare students for careers, promote critical thinking, and encourage open intellectual inquiry. Concerns about ideological polarization, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity have intensified debates over the mission of higher education.
Preparing graduates for a rapidly changing economy is another priority. Advances in artificial intelligence, automation, and emerging technologies require universities to equip students with adaptable skills, technical competence, ethical judgment, and lifelong learning habits.
Mental health has also become a major concern. Colleges are experiencing growing demand for counseling services as students face increased anxiety, loneliness, and stress – and remember, the audience we’re talking about here is 18 to 22 years of age. Colleges may be able to help, but the real issue is spiritual and rooted in students’ lives and families.
So, the old image of a college where a professor sits on one end of a log and a student sits on the other, well, that seems long gone. But this personal engagement, hopefully from a mature and trustworthy scholar, is what students still need. So, here’s some hope: there are still some wonderful professors out there in academia. Find them.
For parents, it’s a boatload of money to pay for four years of higher education. Be sure you know what your favorite college or university is really teaching and whether it’s worth your child’s time and your money. A great football team says nothing about what’s being taught in the classroom.
Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best.
If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. For more Christian commentary, see my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers.
And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2026
*This podcast blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact me or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com/ or my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers or connect with me at www.linkedin.com/in/rexmrogers.
