Intellectual freedom means exploring all ideas

The dictionary definition of intellectual freedom is: “The fundamental right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas from all viewpoints without restriction, censorship and fear.” That’s the goal of almost all liberal arts public universities.

But politicians on the right have long contended universities are drowning innocent students in liberal think tanks. During the last legislative session, the majority party played lifeguard to save drowning students.

They created a new Center for Intellectual Freedom housed at the University of Iowa but managed directly by the Board of Regents and active in all three public universities.

An Intellectual freedom Center sounds wonderful, but as always, the devil’s not only in the details but within its intent. It’s another legislative attack on public schools that don’t mirror a MAGA world view. It’s akin to the idea that K-12 schools should be run by parents. This version has Gov. Kim Reynolds’ regents meddling in classroom content, by monitoring what can and cannot be taught.

Republican legislators claim public K-12 schools and universities are being destroyed by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and liberal professors are indoctrinating students.

So, the Center for Intellectual Freedom really isn’t about the freedom to test all ideas. It’s about creating more public universities with only one narrow world view. It wants to do the indoctrinating.

There was no need for a Center for intellectual freedom when I was a college freshman in 1975. Freedom to think was alive and well the minute I opened the door of my 1967 Ford to a new world at Central College.

After a couple weeks of classes, where I was challenged to think, explore, and reason, I recognized college was where you tried-on different ideas to see what fit. Professors challenged me to critically analyze assumptions and become intellectually curious about other ideas I’d never considered.

Central is a conservative school supported by the Reform Church of America. But classes weren’t taught by conservative or liberal professors. Classes were taught by gifted academic scholars in their fields. They challenged us to think independently, critically and to argue our ideas.

My guess is if legislators took the time to visit university classes in Iowa now, they’d find students wrestling with ideas and facts their high school minds never considered. They’d see a variety of teaching styles, and they’d see students uncomfortable as their ideas are challenged.

That’s how intellect is honed and nourished.

What they wouldn’t see is widespread indoctrination, forcing liberal or conservative thought. There may be isolated examples where students and parents scream bias, but it’s the exception.

The Center of Intellectual Freedom is about as useful as the “g” in lasagna. To produce the best and brightest, we need our universities to be learning laboratories teeming with every idea imaginable.

Bruce Lear taught for 11 years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association Regional Director for 27 years until he retired. BruceLear2419@gmail.com