Letter: Florida tilts toward academic genocide
Everyone, everywhere should be alarmed and angered by Florida Education Bill 999, introduced by an ally of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. It does two things that are objectionable: 1. It places the management of state-funded colleges and universities under the complete control of political appointees to their boards of trustees; 2. It uses funding to exercise academic censorship for specific majors/programs and courses.
Traditionally, academic institutions are self-governing and independent to determine curriculum, budgeting courses of study, hiring, tenure and retention, largely guided by accrediting agencies. Thus, state funding is to the institution as a whole, then distributed to departments. Decisions on curricula are the result of extensive review, which is partially designed to insulate offerings from political meddling.
But this bill changes all this by placing board appointees in total control. Their power will range from writing institution mission statements down to professor retention, and this can change with the party in power, thus threatening the stability of all state academic institutions. DeSantis is taking the position that his personal views toward education are more valid than traditional procedures. He is oddly claiming to boost academic freedom by putting professionals in a political straightjacket. His primary complaint is that these institutions are too liberal.
His "hired guns" will be in total control and free to hold personnel reviews at any time for any reason, thus creating an atmosphere of academic genocide among administrators or professors who disagree. This has already taken place at New College, in Sarasota, which he intends to model after Hillsdale College, a small private conservative Christian liberal arts college in Michigan. His intentions are also to have total control to the approach and content of history and civics offerings, furthering, his level of restrictions.
I was a 30-year professor at a public collegiate institution where elected board members attempted to interfere with academic freedom and one attempted to extract free professional services from me. His reputation caused me to fear for my health and rebuffing the effort caused me a high level of anxiety. I was also a 20-year member of the curriculum committee, so I am familiar with the process.
John Mueller
Lisle