"Exercising First Amendment rights outside the classroom in the form of extramural speech properly opens one up to criticism, and professors should not get a free pass in the public sphere. But once “monitoring” enters the classroom, ...."
Those last words are crucial, because the monitoring is the problem in any case, regardless of the logic we use in speaking of free speech. Please note, however, that the sphere in which we can assert our First Amendment rights *is* the one outside the classroom, especially if the classroom is privately funded. I think it's accurate to say that the First Amendment protects speech from governmental interference, but not from workplace rules in a private organization. The point is that the government must not be allowed to dictate those rules.
Trump’s war on those indoctrinating students into radical illiberal ideology supporting terrorism.
"Exercising First Amendment rights outside the classroom in the form of extramural speech properly opens one up to criticism, and professors should not get a free pass in the public sphere. But once “monitoring” enters the classroom, ...."
Those last words are crucial, because the monitoring is the problem in any case, regardless of the logic we use in speaking of free speech. Please note, however, that the sphere in which we can assert our First Amendment rights *is* the one outside the classroom, especially if the classroom is privately funded. I think it's accurate to say that the First Amendment protects speech from governmental interference, but not from workplace rules in a private organization. The point is that the government must not be allowed to dictate those rules.