A lot of academia is also practical. Just basic facts about the world.
That is how we make technology and have GPS on our mobile phones.

The political side of academia is kind of full with idealists, often very left leaning.
Marxism, scientism and technocracy are popular beliefs, but there are also others.
They have a strong believe that they have to change the world.
So many of them try to get political positions or media positions.

The practical side of the academia do not understand how much belief and ideology there is in other parts. But they are often nerds (some with autistic tendencies) that are easy to manipulate
with feelings and social engineering. So they do not resist much.
They do not even care much about politics.
Or think they don't care.

The academic structure has a more religious origin. Like the catholic church.
With top-down control of thinking. Also some censorship comes from that structure.

I think that the structure can be improved a lot if the top would become more like teachers.
Good teacher let other people understand how they can come to a better understanding of the world.
And good teachers allow others to think differently and discover more on their own.
Can also point out what may be wrong with a certain idea.
Sadly, such valid criticism is often seen as a personal attack or even as "gatekeeping".
That is due to personal attacks that are often mixed in by more authoritarian people.

And just to be fair: Certain ideas can be very wrong.
Like: driving drunk at night without lights on at 100 miles an hour.
Or psychological: thinking that everyone is out to kill and eat you.
And it helps to have people to correct you in a friendly way.