On Wednesday, the Florida Board of Education passed regulations prohibiting expenditures on diversity, equity, and inclusion and also removed sociology from the core general education courses at state and community colleges.
DEI Funds Cut
“We will continue to provide our students with a world-class education with high-quality instruction,” stated Manny Diaz Jr., the Florida Education Commissioner, during the board meeting at Tallahassee Community College.
Revamping Education
These rules align with Governor Ron DeSantis’ conservative Florida education approach. Last year, he signed a DEI law aiming to dismantle such programs in public colleges and universities and introduced changes to the faculty post-tenure review process.
Uniform DEI Policy
While the State University System’s Board of Governors had already implemented similar DEI rules, the Board of Education’s unanimous decision on Wednesday formally extends these regulations to the Florida College System, which comprises 28 colleges.
What It Means
The newly established rule forbids institutions from using funds for DEI activities and from advocating for DEI. The rule explicitly defines DEI as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classified individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals based on such classification.”
Campus Freedom
Despite the new DEI rule, colleges and universities can still fund student-led organizations, even if their activities or speech might contravene the rule. It is worth noting that 49 bills focusing on DEI have been introduced across 23 states since January, and seven have become law, as per the Chronicle of Higher Education tracker.
A Cover for Discrimination?
“DEI is really a cover for discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination, and that has no place in our state colleges at all. Our state colleges need to be focused on learning and not any form of discrimination of any sort whatsoever,” stated Chair Ben Gibson during the meeting.
Sociology Out
The exclusion of ‘Principles of Sociology’ from the core courses of general education was initially proposed by Diaz, a member of the Board of Governors, last November. The general education core courses have now been updated to include ‘Introduction to Geology’ and ‘Introduction to Oceanography’ in the natural sciences and ‘Introductory Survey to 1877’ in the social sciences.
Curriculum Shift
Instead of the sociology course, this new social science course will delve into American history from the earliest colonial times up to 1877. Yet, leaders of sociology departments statewide have voiced their concerns, stating that removing sociology would significantly diminish the breadth and depth of the educational offerings.
History Over Sociology?
Kathryn Hebda, the Chancellor of the Florida College System, highlighted the significance of the curriculum change on Wednesday, saying, “It’s important to make sure that taking out sociology allows us to focus more with that new American History course on those foundational principles – the breadth of American history that’s covered in US history,”
Avoiding ‘Woke’ Ideologies
Hebda stressed, “Everything from colonization through the New Republic to the Civil War and slavery, all of that is included in that first survey course.” She also noted that while sociology will no longer be a core course in general education, students interested in it can still enroll in the class.
Focus on Learning
Echoing this sentiment, Diaz stated, “Students should be focused on learning the truth about our country instead of being radicalized by woke ideologies in our college classrooms.”
Sociology Access
Sociology courses will continue to be accessible to students in Florida, and colleges can recommend them as essential social science courses despite their altered status under state legislation.
DeSantis’ Campaign
Governor Ron DeSantis, currently competing against former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, has taken a strong stand against efforts to enhance racial, social, and religious diversity in Florida’s educational institutions.
Against Leftist Agenda
Putting this issue as a central element of his campaign, DeSantis has become a prominent figure in the broader Republican movement against what they perceive as a leftist agenda promoting racial and political division in U.S. public education.
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