As a new generation rises, tension between free speech and inclusivity on college campuses simmers

By COLLIN BINKLEY
AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The expansive version of free speech long accepted in American society is facing more forceful competition than it has seen in a century. On college campuses, a newer version of free speech is emerging as young generations redraw the line where expression crosses into harm. Their version has no tolerance for speech leading to physical or psychological harm. The Israel-Hamas war and its rhetoric appear to be widening the fault lines and pushing students to demand that university leaders take a side between clashing versions of free speech. Some First Amendment scholars say younger generations are misguided in their approach to free speech, while some say it’s part of a natural cultural progression.