Academic freedom is the freedom to inquire--to study, learn, teach, express, and debate ideas. Academic freedom is essential to education in a democracy, a professional responsibility of teachers, and the fundamental purpose for social education. These ideas occur in the traditional education literature. Academic freedom is not just a professional privilege; it is a professional obligation. Only teachers have this compelling obligation to intellectual freedom, and social studies educators bear a special responsibility. In this period of stress, as in others, they need to continue their strong advocacy for freedoms necessary to democracy, education, and teaching as a profession. They must support, monitor, protect, and continually improve freedom of inquiry for students and teachers. This takes vigilance and courage. The author urges social educators and teachers to stand up for this essential element of a democratic society. (Contains 28 notes.) ["The Need for Courage in American Schools: Cases and Causes" was written with Carole Hahn.]