Something feels really wrong with higher education in the U.S. when students believe they need to hide their viewpoints—or even pretend to lean liberal—to make it through classes. As a college freshman, I hear this sentiment echoed by friends weekly.
This isn’t just a theory. It’s the everyday experience of those I share meals with, study alongside, and see on campus.
During Q&As at ten different schools this semester, the first question students always ask is, “How do I get through college as a conservative?” It’s a consistent theme across all campuses. That alone reveals a lot about the environment students are navigating.
Take, for example, the situation at the University of Oklahoma. A student named Samantha Furnek, pursuing a medical degree, recently lost points on an essay after referencing the Bible in a discussion on gender roles. The teaching assistant, who identifies as transgender, didn’t penalize her for a lack of coherence in her argument but because her beliefs clashed with his worldview. This is the kind of thing students confide to me, almost as if they’re sharing a secret, because it feels so risky to speak out.
Let’s make this clear: when grades hinge on a student’s agreement with a professor’s views, the class stops being about education and starts becoming an exercise in indoctrination.
What happened to Samantha is indicative of a larger trend in academia over the past decade. There’s a pervasive culture that demands conformity, punishes differing opinions, and makes conservative students feel unwelcome. Some students mentioned writing two versions of each essay: one that’s honest and another that’s “safe” enough to submit. Others avoid entire fields of study because they sense that dissent isn’t allowed. This isn’t merely individual anxiety; it’s a common pattern across various institutions.
And really, no one should be shelling out thousands of dollars just to be told their beliefs are unacceptable.
Words like “diversity” and “inclusion” are often touted by the left, but they rarely seem to apply to diversity of thought or inclusion of religious perspectives. You can cite thinkers like Freud or Foucault without a hitch, but mention the Bible and suddenly it feels like you’ve committed some academic faux pas. Students have noted that while they were encouraged to have “open dialogue” on the first day of class, they spent the rest of the semester trying to gauge which opinions might hurt their grades.
The irony is almost overwhelming. Institutions that preach tolerance have become some of the most intolerant environments.
Education was once intended to cultivate critical thinking, honest debate, and an examination of competing ideas. Nowadays, many classrooms resemble echo chambers where differing opinions are seen as threats rather than opportunities for constructive dialogue.
And the message for Christian and conservative students is unambiguous: comply or face consequences.
I recently observed a student wait until others had left just to quietly ask, “What do I say when a professor mocks Christianity?” Another shared that their professor openly admitted to grading conservatives more strictly because of their “dangerous worldview.” These aren’t just stories you’d find online; they reflect real fears and real struggles.
It’s frustrating to think that these individuals are branded as educators.
Many universities have veered away from viewing the classroom as a marketplace of ideas. Instead, it’s become a training ground for ideological conformity. Students aren’t encouraged to ask tough questions; they’re expected to memorize the “approved” answers. And when those answers conflict with their beliefs? Well, that’s a troubling situation. Students learn to read the room before speaking, assess who’s listening, and choose their words carefully. It’s not that they lack faith; it’s simply that they know a misstep could have lasting consequences.
But what matters is this: students see the problem. They feel it. And they’re growing weary of it.
Today’s youth are incredibly savvy regarding double standards. They recognize selective criticism and blatant bias, especially when a professor prioritizes political views over teaching. When a student receives a failing grade for quoting scripture in an essay, the bias is loud and clear. The end result? Silence, fear, self-censorship.
And many professors seem to be alright with this dynamic.
These activist educators often evade the need to defend their ideas, especially when they’ve created an environment that intimidates students into silence. They avoid justifying their assumptions and skip engaging in meaningful debates.
The most manageable classroom is one where conservative students have already learned to keep low profiles.
However, that silence has consequences—not just for those students, but for the integrity of academia itself. When a single perspective dominates, education devolves into propaganda. When students stop asking challenging questions, genuine learning halts. Punishing faculty for their personal beliefs breaks trust and compromises the integrity of education. It’s precisely why students came to me after events—not for selfies, but for reassurance that they aren’t alone or wrong in holding their beliefs.
The solution isn’t complicated.
No need for an extensive federal investigation or a sprawling bureaucracy.
It simply requires courage.
Sunlight can resolve this.
The issue gets addressed when youth refuse to back down.
Each time a story like the one from OU becomes public, it forces universities to reckon with the environments they’ve contributed to. Change doesn’t happen because they suddenly find their moral compass; it occurs when parents start asking tough questions, donors demand accountability, and legislators take notice.
The more students share their experiences, the harder it becomes for universities to hide behind empty talk about inclusivity. Because nothing exposes hypocrisy faster than a Christian student failing due to biblical references.
Students shouldn’t have to pretend to be something they’re not to succeed in class. They shouldn’t feel obligated to hide their beliefs to avoid upsetting their professors. They shouldn’t feel they have to choose between truth and their GPA. And it’s absolutely wrong to penalize them for adhering to convictions shared by billions worldwide for centuries.
It’s time for students, especially those with conservative or Christian perspectives, to stand firm. Not in anger, but with clarity and confidence.
Forcing a student to renounce their beliefs for a passing grade is not education; it’s coercion.
And coercion has no place in education.
If universities genuinely value academic excellence and true diversity, then it’s high time they practiced the tolerance they often advocate.
Until then, students need to stand their ground as the reality of what transpires behind closed doors continues to be revealed.
