Higher education in the U.S. faces an unprecedented storm of political and financial upheaval, highlighting critical tensions around free speech, academic freedom, and institutional integrity. Columbia University’s initial compliance with demands from the Trump administration—banning protest masks, revising protest policies, and ceding departmental autonomy—signals a troubling shift away from protecting academic freedom, but capitulation isn’t the end of the story. Harvard University is resisting similar pressures, fiercely defending the right to independent scholarship against federal overreach under Title VI. Universities like Cornell, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Pennsylvania are grappling with massive financial disruptions impacting critical research and community programs.
In K-12 education, similar tensions emerge: the past few weeks have brought DHS/ICE interventions in LA schools alongside Maine’s successful pushback against federal interference in childhood nutrition programs. Even internationally, students at Netzaberg Middle School in Germany experienced what they perceived as administrative retaliation for peaceful protest, underscoring global stakes in educational autonomy.
In lighter news, this week we are also catching up on Ohio’s pending legislation around school cell phone use and the unresolved struggle over digital boundaries and mental health. Jonathan Haidt’s recent conversations on The Ezra Klein Show highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing protective measures without regressing into outdated moral frameworks. For all of this and more, check out the latest episode. Thanks for listening.
For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website at sixteentoone.com/archives.
Sources & Resources:
Columbia’s Former Leader Faced Contentious Interview After Resigning – The New York Times
‘Our Kids Are the Least Flourishing Generation We Know Of’ – The New York Times
Proposed Ohio bill would ban student use of cellphones during school | 10tv.com
Homeland Security Tries to Enter LAUSD Schools – LAist
Federal judge orders Trump administration to unfreeze funding to Maine | AP News
Parents at DODEA school say student walkout was stopped by snap lockdown drill | Stars and Stripes
Johns Hopkins University Slashes 2000 Jobs after Trump Administration Grant Cut – Reuters
Columbia Agrees to Trump’s Demands After Federal Funds Are Stripped – The New York Times
Columbia’s Katrina Armstrong Resigns Amid Trump’s Attacks
Columbia – Message From Dr. Katrina Armstrong
Columbia Agrees to Trump’s Demands
Harvard professors sue Trump administration over funding cut threats | WBUR News
Harvard University faculty sue to block Trump review of nearly $9bn in funding
Universities push back against Trump’s cuts on federal funding : NPR
Trump administration freezes $1.8 billion for Cornell and Northwestern
Trump suspends $175 million in funding to University of Pennsylvania over trans athletes : NPR
Johns Hopkins University slashes 2,000 jobs after Trump administration grant cut | Reuters
Our bond at a moment of challenge | Speeches and Writings | Office of the President
Federal judge orders Trump administration to unfreeze funding to Maine | AP News
Feds say agents went to Los Angeles schools to do welfare check on migrant children
Proposed Ohio bill would ban student use of cellphones during school | 10tv.com
Crowds flock to newest Catholic saint in Assisi — a millennial teen whose ordinariness is the draw
Who was Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church’s new millennial saint | AP News
Players who have won the career Grand Slam in men’s golf – NBC Sports
The Promise of American Higher Education – Harvard University President
Sustaining Columbia’s Vital Mission | Office of the President
The early 2000s capacitor plague is probably not just a stolen recipe – Ars Technica