--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think colleges are safe spaces…" description: "\"I don't think colleges are safe spaces. It's one thing to have a fraternity house or a community center where students can go and talk about their shar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_college_i-don-t-think-colleges-are-safe-spaces-i_2279408.jpg" --- # I don't think colleges are safe spaces. It's one thing to… ![“I don't think colleges are safe spaces. It's one thing to have a fraternity house or a community center where students can go and talk about their shared experiences. But it's another thing to have safe spaces in the sense that the university's providing them with protection from what they have to…” quote by Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_college_i-don-t-think-colleges-are-safe-spaces-i_2279408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_college_i-don-t-think-colleges-are-safe-spaces-i_2279408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/joan-wallach-scott-26193_college_i-don-t-think-colleges-are-safe-spaces-i_2279408.jpg) > “I don't think colleges are safe spaces. It's one thing to have a fraternity house or a community center where students can go and talk about their shared experiences. But it's another thing to have safe spaces in the sense that the university's providing them with protection from what they have to experience and find ways of protesting and resisting.” [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Colleges should not shield students from challenging ideas; they should foster dialogue and resilience rather than protection. **In simple terms:** Colleges should encourage dialogue, not shield students. Key Takeaway Promote open discussion and critical thinking. Themes education free speech campus culture resilience Mood reflective concerned Type opinion analytical When to use this quote - student orientation - faculty workshops - policy debates - student activism Key Concepts public sphere critical pedagogy social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can universities balance safety with intellectual challenge? - What alternatives to “safe spaces” support student well‑being? A Different Perspective Overprotective environments may hinder personal growth and robust debate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Fraternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fraternity/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Safe Spaces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-spaces/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I support people if they are called to be active and protesting, resisting, working for restoration or, for more just political conversation. I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gangaji/i-support-people-if-they-are-called-to-be-active-and-protesting/) [Gangaji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gangaji/) > [“The other component was to build cadres through political education. Republicans sought out wealthy donors to set up foundations and think tanks as safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/the-other-component-was-to-build-cadres-through-political-education/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [Trigger warnings and safe spaces are an infantilizing setback for feminism - and for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hoff-sommers/trigger-warnings-and-safe-spaces-are-an-infantilizing-setback-for/) [Christina Hoff Sommers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hoff-sommers/) > [“We protect children from danger, real and imaginary, and are then surprised when they go to college and create safe spaces designed to repel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-twenge/we-protect-children-from-danger-real-and-imaginary-and-are-then/) [Jean M. Twenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-twenge/) > [ “I call \[fourth-wave feminism\] fainting–couch feminism, a la the delicate Victorian ladies who retreated to an elegant chaise when overcome with emotion. 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It's hard to put your heart out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griz/there-are-always-safe-spaces-you-can-be-a-beacon-for-other-people-who/) [GRiZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griz/) > [“Chicago told its 2016 intake of students point-blank not to expect any trigger warnings or safe spaces at their educational establishment. “Fostering a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/chicago-told-its-2016-intake-of-students-point-blank-not-to-expect/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [ “\[Bisexuality\] is seen as threatening the homosexual/heterosexual and male/female dichotomies, or binarisms, which underpin our gender and sexual identities to such a large extent.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dunphy/bisexuality-is-seen-as-threatening-the-homosexual-heterosexual-and/) [Richard Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dunphy/) > [It is important to have permanent safe spaces in Harlem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/it-is-important-to-have-permanent-safe-spaces-in-harlem/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) ## More by Joan Wallach Scott > [Freedom of speech is about expressing your opinion, however bad or good, however right or wrong, and being able to defend it and argue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/freedom-of-speech-is-about-expressing-your-opinion-however-bad-or/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [The growing gap between rich and poor, the seeming lack of concern for the health and well-being of ordinary people, the obscene salaries made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wallach-scott/the-growing-gap-between-rich-and-poor-the-seeming-lack-of-concern-for/) [Joan Wallach Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wallach-scott/) > [Free speech is what we all have and is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. 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