‘Cancel culture’ explodes with online learning

The vast expansion of online learning forced by the coronavirus crisis has led to a high-tech crackdown on free speech by teachers and students, according to a groundbreaking review of America’s new classrooms.

The report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni found that the rapid shift to Zoom-type learning preceded a new wave of bullying by participants who cut and paste comments they didn’t like into social media posts, in some cases leading to firings, bullying, and shaming.

In one noted case, a Georgetown University professor was fired for stating that black students tend to cluster near the bottom of her classes. In another, the report said that “Marquette University even threatened to rescind an admissions offer to a student because she posted a video to TikTok expressing support for President Trump.”