Firing and public shaming are part of the problem. People are afraid to voice controversial opinions because they can get called out. I highly recommend the book, "The Coddling of the American Mind."

There is almost a rewards and point system for taking out powerful people who are somehow wrong (racist, Nazis, etc). The trouble is that everyone then becomes a Nazi. People can't have slightly different views and have honest discussions. Instead they get asked to (forced to) resign. It creates a huge void between academics and students .. the relation between students and teachers is now fragmented, and it's also been coming out in the corporate and open source world.