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John K. Wilson

@johnkwilson.bsky.social
122 followers 42 following 41 posts

Writer on politics and higher education

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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
My Constitution Day interview on academic freedom with Geoffrey Stone and Valerie Johnson is now available on the @projectcensored.bsky.social Youtube page: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCpA...
youtube.com
Academic Freedom And Constitutional RIghts in
YouTube video by ProjectCensored
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
My new @insidehighered.com column is an interview with Geoffrey Stone; I will be talking with Stone and Valerie Johnson for a Constitution Day event with @projectcensored.bsky.social nsidehighered.com/opinion/columns/debatable-ideas/2026/09/16/constitution-day-discussion-academic-freedom-and-trump
nsidehighered.com
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
On Sept. 9, I'll be discussing institutional neutrality and academic freedom in a conversation with @tomginsburg.bsky.social at Indiana U. Read my article today in the Indiana Daily Student (reposted on my substack) about what IU needs to do to fix free speech. events.iu.edu/bloomington/...
events.iu.edu
Heterodox Conversations: “Does Institutional Neutrality Protect or Undermine Free Speech and Academic Freedom?”
Conversation: “Does Institutional Neutrality Protect or Undermine Free Speech and Academic Freedom?”
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I argue in my @insidehighered.com column for protecting the academic freedom of @nathancofnas.bsky.social www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
In Defense of Nathan Cofnas
We must not abandon academic freedom and punish anyone for being a harsh critic, even when there are tragic results.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
My @insidehighered.com column examines the @heritagefdn.bsky.social and its "Project Censorship" call for state legislation to attack higher education www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
The Heritage Foundation’s “Project Censorship”
The worst combination of mindless bureaucracy and authoritarian control.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
My latest column looks at @heterodoxacademy.bsky.social and John Tomasi's arguments about the 1915 Declaration by the @aaup.org www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
What Does the AAUP’s 1915 Declaration Really Say?
Not what John Tomasi claims it does.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
My latest @insidehighered.com column examines the Vanderbilt University Board's recent declaration and threats to academic freedom that have concerned groups such as the @vanderbiltaaup.bsky.social www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Vanderbilt’s Board Declares War Against Academic Freedom
A new policy punishes faculty for speech the trustees deem strays from the core purpose of the university.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
My @insidehighered.com column today examines @thrasherxy.bsky.social and Northwestern in light of the recent @aaup.org report on government extortion. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Extortion and Appeasement at Northwestern
There is so much government repression happening that I cannot begin to summarize it.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
My @insidehighered.com column looks at the Manhattan Institute's abuse of FOIA to spy on @aaup.org activities. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Uses and Abuses on Campus of the Freedom of Information Act
We need to shame and condemn those who abuse the FOIA system to spy on professors and other public employees.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Today in my @insidehighered.com column, I examine the T-shirt thoughtcrimes being punished at Florida International University www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
T-Shirt Thoughtcrimes at Florida International
All bans on protests are automatically viewpoint discrimination.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
My column today for @insidehighered.com criticizes the new report on the decline of the #humanities and all its flaws. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Academic Authoritarianism in New Attack on Humanities Scholars
There is virtually no evidence offered in the report for its sweeping conclusions about the entirety of the humanities.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
My new @insidehighered.com column looks at @bariweiss.skystack.xyz and the cancel culture advocated by Bari Weiss in firing Scott Pelley from CBS News. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Bari Weiss and Cancel Culture
Now that she’s the boss, Weiss has complete power to impose her safetyism on an entire news organization.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
My new @insidehighered.com column looks at Yale's Nicholas Christakis recent interview in the @chronicle.com. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
“Gays for Hamas” and Other Imaginary Signs of the Culture Wars
A reminder that even the smartest people are vulnerable to dumb ideas whenever we start dividing the world into us and them and dismissing our enemies as awful people.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
My new column for @insidehighered.com examines grade inflation at @harvard.edu and the perfect plan to solve it. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
An A+ Solution to Grading at Harvard
Limiting the number of A’s Harvard professors can give is a violation of their academic freedom. There are betters ways to tackle grade inflation.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
My new @insidehighered.com column examines censorship of commencement speeches www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Free Speech Does Not End at Commencement
Political opinions are not discrimination. Speeches at university-sponsored events are not official actions. Colleges must never be investigated by the government for allowing free expression.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
My latest column for @insidehighered.com criticizes the Yale Report and argues that trust is not an academic value. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Trust Is Not an Academic Value: Mistakes of the Yale Report
Any report devoted to trust in academia is constructed on a flawed foundation.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
I discussed my recent column about the myth of Jesse Jackson chanting at Stanford with @llassabe.bsky.social on her American Campus Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/j...
podcasts.apple.com
Jesse Jackson and “Western Culture” at Stanford with John K. Wilson
Podcast Episode · American Campus Podcast · March 11 · 23m
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
My new essay for Inquisitive Magazine @heterodoxacademy.bsky.social looks at institutional neutrality, academic freedom, and the 1894 University of Wisconsin statement. inquisitivemag.org/articles/bac...
inquisitivemag.org
The Origins of Institutional Neutrality — Inquisitive
The University of Wisconsin’s 1894 declaration on academic freedom is just as relevant today as it was when it was issued 131 years ago
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
My new column for @insidehighered.com exposes how conservatives lied about the late Rev. Jesse Jackson and his visit to Stanford for the past 39 years. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Jesse Jackson and the Myth of the Stanford Chant
The story about Jackson and the words he never chanted reveal how easy it is to repeat a lie so often that everyone becomes convinced that it was always true.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
My essay for @rcscience.bsky.social, criticizing the National Association of Scholars' attacks on science and calls to require faculty to disclose their test scores, was posted today. www.realclearscience.com/articles/202...
realclearscience.com
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
My new column for @insidehighered.com looks at FIRE @thefireorg.bsky.social and @greglukianoff.skystack.xyz, and the problem of embracing politicians to reform higher education. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
The Hard Truth About FIRE’s Political Mistake
The false narrative that FIRE spread—that only “the on-campus left” endangered free speech within higher education—became the justification for external repression.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
My latest column for @insidehighered.com is a defense of @larrysummers.bsky.social and his critics. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
In Defense of Larry Summers and His Critics
Even though Larry Summers is a scumbag, he’s still entitled to academic freedom protections.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
My new column for @insidehighered.com criticizes @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social for wrongly suspending an instructor for alleged political advocacy. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
In Defense of Berkeley Instructor Peyrin Kao
UC Berkeley administrators have violated Kao’s academic freedom and the First Amendment in their shameful punishment of him for his free speech.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
My latest column for @insidehighered.com critiques Northwestern's terrible deal with the Trump regime. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Northwestern’s Complicity With the Trump Regime
We need shadow universities to preserve academic values and academic freedom at a time when they are under attack by government officials and campus administrators.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
My latest @insidehighered.com column looks at how @splc.org, @thefireorg.bsky.social, @aaup.org and student journalists fought for a free press at Indiana University www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Partial Victory for Freedom of the Press at Indiana U
While we need to celebrate the win, we also need to recognize how incomplete and temporary it was.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
My interview about the Scopes trial with @llassabe.bsky.social for her excellent American Campus podcast is now available: americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...
americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com
Scopes and the creationists with John K. Wilson - American Campus Podcast
From a student of Saul Bellow and Barack Obama.References and suggested readings:John K Wilson. August 2025. “100 Years Ago, the Scopes Monkey Trial Discovered Academic Freedom.” Chronicle of Higher E...
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
My column today for @insidehighered.com looks back at my first book, The Myth of Political Correctness, which was published 30 years ago today. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
“The Myth of Political Correctness,” 30 Years Later
Looking back, I think my first book’s claims have been proven largely correct over the past three decades.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
My column today for @insidehighered.com about the Compact: www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
The Compact to Destroy Academic Freedom
The fight against Trump’s totalitarian compact isn’t just a fight for the autonomy and freedom and preservation of American universities.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
My @insidehighered.com column today looks at Banned Books Week (go to www.chicagobannedbooks.org to see Chicago-area events this week). www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Banned Books Week in the Time of Repression
We need to build an alliance that crosses all boundaries and realize that unless we all stand together to defend everyone against censorship, we will all be vulnerable.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
My essay on Ohio State's ban on land acknowledgements appeared today in the Chronicle of Higher Education www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
chronicle.com
The Absurd War on Land Acknowledgements
You don’t have to like them, but prohibiting them is a violation of academic freedom.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
The Constitution Day event on academic freedom in partnership with @projectcensored.bsky.social that I moderated featuring @tomginsburg.bsky.social and @sarahemclaugh.bsky.social is now available online. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ityg...
youtube.com
Academic Freedom Under Fire: Constitution Day 2025 Panel on Higher Education & Free Speech
YouTube video by ProjectCensored
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
My new column for @insidehighered.com on the legal victory for @harvard.edu www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
The Victory for Harvard Is a Victory for Democracy
A settlement by Harvard now would be not only cowardly but crazy.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 25/08/2025
My latest column for @insidehighered.com examines free expression at Northwestern University and @medillschool.bsky.social, 10 years after Alice Dreger's resignation. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Censorship at Northwestern Worse After Dreger’s Resignation
Looking back at the Dreger resignation a decade ago, it’s hard to feel optimistic, because censorship on campus is even worse today.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
My new column at Inside Higher Ed criticizes Georgetown University for suspending professor Jonathan Brown. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
In Defense of Jonathan Brown
Georgetown suspended a professor for a statement milder than one made by the president of the United States on social media. It should immediately end the practice of arbitrary suspensions without due...
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
My latest column for @insidehighered.com on the capitulations by Brown and Columbia www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Why Universities Must Not Capitulate to the Trump Regime
Colleges that settle with the Trump administration have no guarantee of safety from further retaliation.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
The first essay of my new column for @insidehighered.com, called “Debatable Ideas,” features a critique of the Manhattan Statement. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
The Dangers of the Manhattan Statement
In his inaugural column, John K. Wilson argues that a conservative groups ‘new contract’ for higher ed risks greater government intrusion into the sector.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
My essay today for the @chronicle.com on the centennial of the Scopes trial and what it means today: www.chronicle.com/article/100-...
chronicle.com
Opinion | 100 Years Ago, the Scopes Monkey Trial Discovered Academic Freedom
But today, the right to teach the truth remains under threat.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
My article today for @newlinesmag.bsky.social on the war on international students: newlinesmag.com/argument/wha...
newlinesmag.com
What Trump’s War on Universities Means for International Students and Scholars
The administration’s attack on Harvard is part of an assault unprecedented in the history of American higher education
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
My op-ed for @insidehighered.com today about the Trump administration's letter to Harvard demanding repression: www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
insidehighered.com
Demands of Harvard Are Blueprint for Repression (opinion)
Harvard is rightly fighting back against the Trump administration’s demands, which pose a threat to every college in America, John K. Wilson writes.
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John K. Wilson @johnkwilson.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
My defense of @thefireorg.bsky.social against its AAUP critics: insidehighered.com/opinion/view... Coming soon, my defense of the AAUP against the attacks by FIRE and @glukianoff.bsky.social And also read my new essay in HxA's magazine inquisitive: inquisitivemag.org/articles/bac...
insidehighered.com
In defense of FIRE (opinion)
John K. Wilson argues that a recent defense of the AAUP goes too far in denouncing the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
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