America 250: Presidential Message on the Anniversary of Our Victory in the Mexican-American War

We define academic freedom as “the freedom of a researcher in higher education to investigate and discuss the issues in his or her academic field, and teach or publish findings without interference from political figures, boards of trustees, donors or other entities.”

academic freedom is the freedom of teachers and researchers at colleges and universities to do the work of educating students and advancing knowledge in their fields.

If you care about the reputation that backstops your child’s diploma, you should care about that institution’s commitment to academic freedom.

The city’s lawsuit names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron. The complaint asks a judge to order that the removal of “interpretive panels referencing slavery” was an “arbitrary and capricious” act, making it unlawful.

President’s House has been designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site pursuant to a 1998 act of Congress. In removing exhibits referencing slavery, the Trump administration acted without statutory authority, the city argues.

This included parts of displays titled: “Life Under Slavery,” “History Lost & Found,” “The Executive Branch,” “The Dirty Business of Slavery,” “The House and the People Who Worked & Lived In It,” and an illustration with the words “An Act respecting fugitives from Justice.”

Martin Peterson, a philosophy professor,

But although this kind of censorship may be absurd and sinister, it is ironically fitting that Plato, of all philosophers, should be targeted by a regime worried about the effect of subversive ideas on tender minds. Almost 2,500 years ago, Plato’s teacher, Socrates, was sentenced to death by the city of Athens for exactly the same reason.

U.S. Department of Education (the Department), alongside the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College

American First Policy Institute Greg Sindelar.

Turning Point Education.

Priests for Life

Moms for Liberty

First Liberty Institute

The point is that what's most important is that we have a place to express ourselves. And in those places, when young people, for example, professors at West Point teach the future generals of the United States, those people will learn from the professors, and when they go on and be successful in their careers, including leading our country in wars, we will be more confident that they know the critical points that are necessary to win those wars.

The interest is in speaking and teaching and writing according to your conscience. And, if you can't do that, then everybody has a shared value in trying to ensure that we can make some changes and go about deciding how to do that, and do it effectively.

the point is that we have to have that opportunity to speak, or we can't advance as a society, as an institution, and our knowledge will be a whole lot less if we're disabled by prior restraint of our speaking, if we're subject to the approval of someone else before we speak or write or teach.

Tim Bakken,

longest-serving law professor in West Point's history

Tim Bakken, Law Professor, United States Military Academy at West Point

I wouldn't be able to opine on the value of a majority opinion of the Supreme Court or question a dissenting opinion of the Supreme Court if, in my opinion, those majority or dissenting opinions were right or wrong.

The online content was taken down at the beginning of the year because this administration believes in only administering facts based on real science to the American public, not brainless fear-mongering rhetoric used to steal taxpayer dollars.”

The Secretary proposes one additional priority and related definitions for use in currently authorized discretionary grant programs or programs that may be authorized in the future.

The success of the American experiment in self-government requires the cultivation of both citizenship competency and informed patriotism among the American People. Citizens must understand why our free-market economy is a highly evolved system of cooperation fostered by our constitutional republic, and how it functions to secure the blessings of liberty for all Americans. This understanding can only be acquired and prove to be lasting when rooted in a recognition of the nobility of America's foundational principles and ideals, and an accurate and honest account of American history that shows how the United States has worked through private and public efforts to live up to them better. All too often, government is misunderstood to be synonymous with those things that We the People do together when in fact it is merely a subset thereof. Rather, our voluntary individual actions channeled through the intermediary institutions of civil society—such as our companies, places of worship, schools, fraternal organizations, and civic associations—are critically important to the proper functioning of the American economic, social, and political system. In the American system of liberty, educated citizens who know their rights and meet their responsibilities cooperate to build a more perfect Union and inherit the opportunities of a free society. To provide a common foundation and shared conception of this more perfect Union, we must transmit to all American students a shared understanding of our political, economic, intellectual, and cultural history—including our national symbols and heroes. At the same time, this American political tradition must be situated within the broader context of the political, economic, intellectual, and cultural history of Western Civilization. This priority focuses grant funds on programs that promote a patriotic education that cultivates citizen competency and informed patriotism among and communicates the American political tradition to students at all levels, including activities and programs accessible to students with special needs.

Patriotic education means a presentation of the history of America grounded in an accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling characterization of the American founding and foundational principles; a clear examination of how the United States has admirably grown closer to its noble principles throughout its history; and the concept that commitment to America's aspirations is beneficial and justified. Note: Nothing in this definition should be construed as implicating a particular curriculum, program of instruction, or specific academic

The influence of Western Europe upon the American political tradition.

the role of faith;

Note: Nothing in this definition should be construed as implicating a particular curriculum, program of instruction, or specific academic content.

Land acknowledgements are considered statements and cannot be issued on behalf of a unit, college, department, etc., used at university-sponsored events (virtual or in person) or placed on any university channel or resource such as websites, social media, signage, meeting or event agendas, event programs, etc. Land acknowledgements should not be used in written class materials or stated verbally unless there is a direct tie to the subject of the course.

Selecting some tragedies or events and not others can further harm members of our community who are acutely impacted by particular issues. Placing the university in the untenable position of determining on which issues to speak while excluding others does not properly project the care, empathy and value the university has for every member of its community.

A “controversial belief or policy” for the purpose of compliance with SB 1 means any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) stands in firm opposition to the latest directive by the White House forcing Smithsonian Institution museums to subject their presentation of American history to government review. This supersedes the oversight of professional scholars and makes the museums tools of the presidential administration.

The genuinely patriotic thing we can all do in this moment is to speak out on behalf of the scholars who have dedicated their lives to helping us understand our nation, and for the right of all Americans to learn about our history and culture free from government intrusion.

a grave disservice to future generations.

This is not a return to sanity. Rather, it sanitizes to destroy truth.

This correspondence and its underlying command represent an unacceptable instance of ongoing executive overreach, striking at the independence of one of our nation’s preeminent historical and cultural institutions.

Smithsonian Institution is not, and has never been, under the authority of the Executive Branch. It is an independent statutory agency, led by the Secretary and governed by a bipartisan Board of Regents as established by law

it asks the hundreds of professionals who work at the Smithsonian to violate their ethics and their dedication to free and open historical inquiry.

Together, these moves threaten to weaponize our shared past to serve political imperatives of the present and an imagined future. They politicize the artifacts, recorded stories, and historical experiences that belong to the American people and that help to bring a full, unvarnished picture of our democracy into public view not for indoctrination, but for education.

In this spirit, and in accordance with Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, we will be leading a comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions. This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.

By focusing on Americanism—the people, principles, and progress that define our nation—we can work together to renew the Smithsonian’s role as the world’s leading museum institution.

Museums should begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials.