Poll: 73% Of Republican College Students Have Kept Quiet In Class Out Of Fear Of Backlash

We know from Young America's Foundation that Generation Z is very confused about socialism, capitalism, and the American way of life. We also learned from YAF that America's college and high school students across the political spectrum have held back their real opinions out of fear they would offend a friend. But, a new poll shows that Republican students in particular are afraid to discuss their actual beliefs out of fear that they will suffer the consequences grade wise for thinking differently from their teacher.

As reported by the College Fix, nearly three-quarters of Republican and Republican-leaning college students fear backlash in the classroom for their anti-Democrat stances:

The question asked: “Have you ever withheld your political views in class for fear that your grades would suffer?” Seventy-three percent of students who identity as “strong Republican” reported that they had, while 71 percent of students who identify as “weak Republican” said yes.

Katharine Timpf of National Review gave a lengthy rundown of just why this is so damaging for the classrooms. In short, Republican self censorship due to intimidating professors weakens the free market place of ideas. The real victims here are the liberal students Timpf argues:

The status quo doesn’t just hurt Republican students, it hurts liberal students as well. Think about it: If Republicans are missing out on the valuable learning experience of having their views challenged because they do not feel that they can express them honestly, then liberal students are missing out on the same experience because they don’t have anyone challenging theirs. 

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As YAF spokesperson Spencer Brown recently told Townhall, the current status of the American college cmpus proves that conservative groups are needed to make up for a poor classroom experience.

"This is where bold Young Americans for Freedom activists who work to organize Young America’s Foundation’s iconic campus activism projects and host leading conservatives through YAF’s campus lecture program are filling a significant gap in education," Brown said in August.