In April 2023, Speech First, a national membership group of students, alumni, and others that defends free speech on campus, released the “Freedom from Indoctrination Act,” model policy written with the Goldwater Institute. States can adopt it on its own or alongside related model bills, such as Speech First and Goldwater’s proposal to protect students from bias reporting systems. Under the model bill:
- No required DEI or critical race theory (CRT) courses. Public colleges could not make students take DEI- or CRT-related courses to earn a degree, and could not pressure faculty to add DEI content to their courses as a condition of approval, promotion, tenure, or pay. Programs whose titles make clear they focus on these subjects would be excepted.
- Teaching America’s founding principles. Every bachelor’s degree program at a public college would include instruction in the founding principles of our constitutional republic.
- Free speech at orientation. Student orientation programs would affirm free speech principles and could not require students to take part in DEI, CRT, or identity politics exercises.
Read the full model policy below:
