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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. For the last segment of the show today, we know that this is a week when many colleges are beginning their school year, and we assume most college students, at least those who go away to college, are not listening right now, as you're in this transition. Maybe some of you are. If you are, you're invited to call in on the following question. We think this is going to be primarily for parents of college students.

The question is, what kind of conversation did you have with your student in the last few days about going away to school or returning to school in the context of campus politics and national politics today? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. What kind of conversation did you have with your student about going away to school for the first time or returning to school in the context of campus politics and national politics today? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Call or text. If you are the student yourself, you can obviously call, too, and tell us just what your own thoughts are about being on campus, any campus at this particular moment in the United States. 212-433-9692.

You all know the array of things that are so hot right now. President Trump pressuring colleges to end diversity programs and teach history and politics in ways that Trump likes, the pressure to elevate conservative speech and marginalize LGBTQ, especially trans or non-binary students. Whatever pressures on speech you might feel come from progressives, for that matter, faculty, fellow students, whatever, maybe you talk to your college student kid about pro-Palestinian protests versus the pressures to limit those protests. Depending on what side you're on about some of that, maybe your conversation was about asserting their right to free speech, maybe it was about protecting against antisemitism if your child is Jewish, or against Islamophobia if your child is Muslim.

There's also the funding cuts for medical and other research. What if your student is a science major? This is shaping up to be another intense school year for colleges and universities in the context of American politics. Again, the question right now for parents and students, if you're listening, what kind of conversation did you have with your student, or students, are you having in your own head or did your parents parents have with you about going away to school for the first time as a freshman or returning to school in the context of campus politics and national politics and how they intersect today? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.

You can include any policy changes that you may have heard from the schools themselves, changes they've made in response to any of the things that we've talked about. We know that, because we've reported on it, that Columbia's president has sent out multiple lengthy letters to the whole university community about things they're doing. How about other schools that don't get as much publicity as Columbia does or as maybe Harvard does, for example? How about parents of students at state schools, where some of these same pressures exist; they just don't make the news as much? 212-433-WNYC.

I'll throw in one other category here. If we have any international students listening, have the threats of visas being revoked over protest activity, or just a general hostility to having more international students been a concern, or the environment that you might encounter on campus now that there is this sort of official hostility coming from Washington? Trump wants campuses to have, I think he said, 15% limit on the percentage of international students who can be at many schools.

If you're an international student with a student visa that you're afraid might be under pressure, or even with a green card, tell us what you're thinking about, or maybe some of you know, or family members of students who were from other countries last year and decided to not even come back. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. International students or members of your families, parents, students, or people from here as well, what kinds of conversations have you been having about going away to school for the first time or returning to school in the context of campus politics and how they intersect with national politics today? 212-433-WNYC. Call or text. 212-433-9692. We'll hear from you right after this.

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now to your calls and texts on the question, mostly for parents, what kind of conversation did you have with your student about going away to school for the first time or returning in the context of campus politics and national politics today? Let's see how many of you we can get in here, starting with Burgess in Central Jersey. You're on WNYC. Hello, Burgess.

Burgess: Hi. Can you hear me?

Brian Lehrer: Yes, we got you.

Burgess: Oh, great. Throughout the college application process, I was having extensive conversations with my daughter about where she chose to apply, specifically for full reproductive care, like all women's health. That was a huge consideration for me and for her. She's going to the University of Chicago, and she has had to go through a very extensive pre-orientation series of webinars about their free speech protocols, which really tries to school all students in political debate and engaging in political debate, and ways in which you can engage in a principled fashion.

They really are very clear that they expect political opinions from all parts of the spectrum, but they have very clear guidelines and guardrails about what kind of speech and how you engage, and I'm particularly impressed with it.

Brian Lehrer: That was going to be my follow-up question. Did you like the way they laid it out? Clearly, you are. Burgess, thank you for starting us off. Charlie in West Orange, you're on WNYC. Hi, Charlie.

Charlie: Hi, Brian. I'm taking my son back up to UMass for his third year tomorrow, actually. A couple days ago, the whole family got new phones. My wife and I were talking about it, and we told him and our daughter, who's still in high school, "Do not engage the biometrics and the facial ID recognition on your phone." Why? Because God forbid, if something happens, and my son, the most radical thing he's involved in is the Sunrise Movement. He's up there. He's actually becoming their CFO up there.

Brian Lehrer: The climate movement, Sunrise, right?

Charlie: Correct. Everything with what's going on with Trump and how everything seems to be becoming a target, we said, "Look, the cops, they can force your finger down on the biometrics, they can hold the phone up to your face to get you to unlock your phone. God forbid if there's anything on there, which there probably wouldn't be, but it's just general advice for everybody. They can't force you to put your password in." We said, "Just don't do any of that. Just leave it as password, and you should be okay."

Brian Lehrer: Interesting. Warning your kid about online surveillance and minding their biometrics. Tiffany in Westchester, you're on WNYC. Hi, Tiffany.

Tiffany: Hi, how are you? My son is a 6'4" Black man going away. These conversations have been had with our boys for generations. Be careful who you talk to, be careful how you speak. What's really changed now is that it's expanded to the community, non-POC, because I know it's not just Black mothers. I know Hispanic mothers do it. I know that Chinese mothers do it. This has now become more of an issue because there has to be an awareness of people who have had the privilege of just feeling comfortable where they are.

Brian Lehrer: Tiffany, thank you very much. History catches up with a lot of other people, as Tiffany is narrating it. Josh in Brooklyn, you're on WNYC. Hi, Josh.

Josh: Hi. It's interesting because I also have a son who's about to enter the University of Chicago. One thing that they're very good at, and I've tried to stress to my son, is, before you really align with a particular political movement, especially amidst all the contentious arguments, really do your research, really know what you're talking about, know the history. Don't just be swayed by what your friends say or about propaganda. That's basically it.

Brian Lehrer: How did your student respond, your son?

Josh: He responded very well. I'm fortunate because he is the sort of person who does that anyway. I forced him to read books and articles. Unlike a lot of kids, I make him read the newspapers, not just get his ideas from TikTok. That helps a lot.

Brian Lehrer: Josh, thank you very much. Jewish parents in some cases have particular concerns these days, as many of you know. Here's an example of that. Listener texts, "Hi. My daughter is going to a dual degree program at Columbia and Tel Aviv University. The first two years are in Tel Aviv, followed by two years at Columbia. Campus protesters at Columbia have lobbied the university to end the partnership. My daughter and I have discussed contingency plans for how she'll finish her degree if that happens. Colombia has committed to maintaining the program, but the leadership has struggled to deal with the protesters, and the climate remains hot, so we are focusing on the best way for my daughter to complete her education," writes that parent. Susan in Manhattan, you're on WNYC. Hi, Susan.

Susan: Hey. I am called in because I had a little bit of the reverse, as opposed to having to talk with my kid. My son, who's now going to be a college senior, we were on vacation and hanging out one evening and looking out over the lake and reminiscing about things, and he turned to me and said, and we had a little bit of a contentious middle school and high school regarding politics, first term for Trump and things. He said, "You know what, Mom? You are absolutely right about everything with Trump. You are not exaggerating at all. You nailed it, unfortunately."

Brian Lehrer: How about that? It's unfortunate, but probably a little gratifying to have your kid come back and say, "You were right about something, Mom."

Susan: Yes, but you know what? I would trade all that--

Brian Lehrer: You'd rather have been wrong, right?

Susan: Yes. I would trade all that for us, as a nation, to not be in this moment.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you for your call. That's going to be-

Susan: Thank you.

Brian Lehrer: -the last word. Listeners, thanks to all of you for telling your stories about your conversations with your students. Interesting to hear from several parents of rising freshmen, as well as some of your students who are going back. Susan's story at the end, too, about, well, a kind of certain growing political awareness that her kid developed. Good luck to all of you families with students at college right now.

That's The Brian Lehrer Show for today, produced by Mary Croke, Lisa Allison, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Zach Gottehrer-Cohen produces our daily politics podcast. Megan Ryan is the head of live radio, and we add Juliana Fonda at the audio controls. Stay tuned for Alison, everybody.

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