U.S. universities have been built on being places of learning and free exchange of ideas.

But that doesn’t seem to extend to students protesting.

Over the past decades, protesting students have brought social and political change, while also bringing harsh actions from place of learning and law enforcement; witness Kent State when students protest against the Vietnam war were tear gassed by the National Guard and four students shot were shot and killed by them.

We give perspective on the history of student protests in the U.S., then and now, and the roles of universities as centers of exchange of free ideas and their silent billionaire donors.

Watch Aljazeera English.