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Florida universities are culling hundreds of general education courses
Politico ^ | October 14th 2024 | Andrew Atterbury

Posted on 10/15/2024 12:31:52 PM PDT by Jacquerie

Florida’s public universities are purging the list of general education courses they will offer next year to fall in line with a state law pushed for by Gov. Ron DeSantis targeting “woke ideologies” in higher education.

These decisions, in many cases being driven by the university system’s Board of Governors, have the potential to affect faculty and thousands of students across the state. Hundreds of courses are slated to become electives after previously counting toward graduation requirements.

The state’s involvement in a curriculum process — which has historically been left to universities — is riling academics and students who oppose how officials are using new authority to weed out courses like Anthropology of Race & Ethnicity, Sociology of Gender, and Women in Literature.

Yet the Board of Governors maintains that the state is merely carrying out the intent of the GOP-dominated Legislature, which in 2023 called for a wholesale review of general education offerings to ensure the courses stray from teaching “identity politics” and avoid “unproven, speculative, or exploratory” content.

“If their subject matter is prohibited by statute but is compelling, then students are going to elect to take it,” university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said in an interview. “But what is not going to happen in Florida — the students are not going to be forced to take courses that have these prohibited concepts in order to fulfill their general education requirements.”

This course review, spanning hundreds of classes across 12 state universities, was triggered by a far-reaching higher education law passed last year that also prohibited spending tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. The policies are a key piece in Florida’s efforts, led by DeSantis, to reshape its higher education system through changes like a high-stakes post-tenure review system to put “unproductive” faculty on notice.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: curriculum; desantis; education; florida; gened; general
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Love my state!
1 posted on 10/15/2024 12:31:52 PM PDT by Jacquerie
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To: Jacquerie
If America can be saved this is an essential part. We have to stop pouring billions of dollars into an education system purpose-built to make young people dumb and unfit for thinking and working.

We can't survive another four years of the gangs now in control of big education.

DeSantis: lead on.

2 posted on 10/15/2024 12:38:14 PM PDT by jeffersondem
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>> general education courses
>> targeting “woke ideologies”

No Politico “bias” there...


3 posted on 10/15/2024 12:49:33 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist! )
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To: Jacquerie

“Anthropology of Race & Ethnicity, Sociology of Gender, and Women in Literature.” And just how are these “general education courses” going to benefit graduates in a real career in the real world?


4 posted on 10/15/2024 1:13:58 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to drive a hard line"...)
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To: Jacquerie

No one should be required to take political indoctrination courses like “Women’s Studies”, a course currently mandated by the federal DOE.


5 posted on 10/15/2024 1:17:33 PM PDT by CodeToad (Rule #1: The elites want you dead.)
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To: Jacquerie

“These decisions, in many cases being driven by the university system’s Board of Governors, have the potential to affect faculty and thousands of students (none of which could ever pass a real college course) across the state. “

Fixed.


6 posted on 10/15/2024 1:22:40 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: Jacquerie

As an BSEE student, why did I have to take BS humanity classes but they were not required to take calculus, physics or logic classes. Seemed like a transfer payment to me.


7 posted on 10/15/2024 1:26:09 PM PDT by wgmalabama (Screw Ukraine, screw Russia, screw the west. The only thing that matters is money at this point. )
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To: wgmalabama

The system back then took your money and wasted your time. Horrible.


8 posted on 10/15/2024 1:34:24 PM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: Jacquerie

DEI is cultural marxism. I say to let the students take it if they wish, but the “showers” should be the conclusion of their graduation ceremony. There should be “splashback” to their evil beliefs. And society should not be subjected to their evil.


9 posted on 10/15/2024 1:36:17 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber

U can partially thank Sasse.


10 posted on 10/15/2024 1:37:32 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: MtnClimber
"DEI is cultural marxism"
CORRECT
11 posted on 10/15/2024 1:39:26 PM PDT by linMcHlp
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To: Jacquerie
I hope English and Math and Ethics and the Humanities are in for consideration.

I'm not kidding.

It's good to see that general education classes are finally, finally being recognized for the swamp of social justice indoctrination that they are, but it's foolish to only cull gen-ed classes that have lightning rod naming conventions.

When the math books prattle on about how many SUVs multiplied by how many smoke stacks equals only 3 years left for catastrophe, the math has been compromised.

12 posted on 10/15/2024 1:40:33 PM PDT by ProgressingAmerica (We cannot vote our way out of these problems. The only way out is to activist our way out.)
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To: MtnClimber

I’ve recently posted similar articles about education reform in FL and have been amazed at how many Freepers believe the state of FL is trampling Marxist professors’ 1st Amendment rights.


13 posted on 10/15/2024 1:41:51 PM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: Jacquerie

Now go after hiring practices that block conservatives.


14 posted on 10/15/2024 1:43:45 PM PDT by Petrosius
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To: Jacquerie
have been amazed at how many Freepers believe the state of FL is trampling Marxist professors’ 1st Amendment rights.

Their blabber is against the constitution and I should not be forced to pay taxes toward it. If they want to spew marxissm they should raise their own funds or go pro bono.

15 posted on 10/15/2024 1:45:29 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: Jacquerie

Getting rid of that incredible uselessness. A small step forward for civilization.


16 posted on 10/15/2024 1:46:11 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: MtnClimber

Marxist profs are free to stand on a street corner and blather as they please.

But at a state university they have an employer, and every employer has broad latitude to set the envelope of acceptable employee behavior.


17 posted on 10/15/2024 1:51:43 PM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: Jacquerie

Florida should open a satellite campus of Hillsdale College. Someday there will be just one ‘woke’ course. It will be what they call a survey course, reviewing the entirety of the insanity that spawned all these ridiculous courses.

As I stated previously, I took an undergraduate course in logic. Very interesting and straightforward. Later I noticed these insane course titles: Logic In Gender Studies, Logic In Hispanic Studies, Logic In (FILL-IN-THE-BLANK) Studies.

Totally woke, and definitely illogical.


18 posted on 10/15/2024 2:49:09 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus III (Do, or do not, there is no try)
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To: Jacquerie

“The state’s involvement in a curriculum process — which has historically been left to universities — is riling academics and students who oppose”

tons of Marxist indoctrination courses in non-Florida unis: unhappy students can always transfer elsewhere ... Marxist profs may have a harder time though, as lots of competition from other Marxist profs all seeking cushy do-nothing jobs funded by unwitting taxpayers ...


19 posted on 10/15/2024 4:01:48 PM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: Texan5

“And just how are these “general education courses” going to benefit graduates in a real career in the real world?”

indeed ... doesn’t even teach aspiring Starbucks baristas how to push the “Start” button on the automatic espresso machines ...


20 posted on 10/15/2024 4:19:28 PM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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