I wrote earlier today about how public universities are overwhelmingly failing in their task of educating and preparing young adults for adulthood by letting students’ egregious behavior go unchecked. But I’m glad to see at least one school standing up to the would-be tyrants who are running most of the other campuses across the country.

George Mason University’s president, Gregory Washington, issued a statement last week defending the school’s decision to invite Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to speak at its commencement ceremony in May. Students predictably responded to news of Youngkin’s visit with protests and tantrums, accusing the Republican governor of “transphobia” because he supports legislation requiring schools to notify parents if their children begin to identify as a gender different than their sex.

A petition meant to pressure the school into canceling Youngkin’s commencement address received thousands of signatures.

“I and my peers do not want the memories of our graduation day to be tainted by an individual who has harmed and continues to harm the people he serves,” student Alaina Ruffin wrote in the petition.

But Washington did not back down, arguing that it is important for students to be exposed to views that differ from their own and that a university is exactly the kind of place for debates about important topics to be had.

“Once you start silencing people you disagree with, you open a door that ultimately targets historically marginalized communities more than it benefits them,” Washington said in a statement. George Mason is a place “to engage, debate and educate on topics where we agree and disagree,” he continued. “This is vital, because our students must prepare to inherit and lead a world with endless conflicts and divisions.”

Finally, a bit of common sense. Washington is exactly right. Shielding students from different perspectives is bad for academia, the country, and the students themselves. They need to learn to wrestle with different beliefs and engage respectfully with those who hold them, or else the cultural tyranny that dominates so much of higher education today will spread to every other corner of society.

It’s heartening that George Mason’s president understands this. The real test of the school’s commitment to ideological diversity will come in May, when Youngkin visits campus. If students inappropriately disrupt his commencement address, will the school take the necessary steps to hold them accountable? If not, then Washington’s statement will have been pointless.