Free speech is one of the biggest worries facing schools that are teaching children how to express themselves without shouting each other down, according to two leading head teachers.
Pupils must learn to speak confidently but also need lessons in listening and arguing without running away from upsetting opinions, teachers told a conference. Their views were echoed by other school leaders, who warned that children not taught how to listen without shutting others down might be less able to challenge ideas at university.
Campuses have been at the heart of free speech disputes, with some students demanding the withdrawal of invitations to speakers deemed controversial, such as Kathleen Stock at Oxford University, and noisy protests at events.
