Ronald Reagan's lessons for today's campus crisis

Reagan promised to "to clean up the mess at Berkeley," referring to the unrest at the University of California, Berkeley, and college campuses throughout the state.

Dr. Richard Schroeder is the chief education programming officer of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute (RRFPI), which sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, the most visited presidential library in the country.

What should our leaders do? Is there an example from the past that could serve as a guide for our leaders today?

The crisis of college demonstrations and occupation of buildings is not unique in our nation’s history. While the subject of campus protests has differed over the years, each have started under the guise of "mostly peaceful protests." Unfortunately, 2024 protests have resulted in increasing levels of violence, threats against fellow students and disruption of university functions.