Taking aim at critical race theory (CRT) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is proposing legislation in the Sunshine State that would require universities to base their curriculum on the history of Western Civilization.
A similar bill is under consideration in Texas.
According to DeSantis' website, the legislation would boost civil discourse and academic integrity, prohibiting Florida public universities from using state funds for anything related to DEI. Florida would be following in the footsteps of a bill in Texas that would ban DEI at Texas public universities.
The governor said the move will ensure that students “can think for themselves, not to enforce ideological conformity and political activism” in a Jan. 31 tweet.
“In Florida, we will build off of our higher-education reforms by aligning core curriculum to the values of liberty and the Western tradition, eliminating politicized bureaucracies like DEI, increasing the amount of research dollars for programs that will feed key industries with talented Florida students, and empowering presidents and boards of trustees to recruit and hire new faculty, including by dedicating record resources for faculty salaries,” DeSantis said, according to his website.
Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, offered his support for DeSantis’ efforts.
“We applaud the governor for his commitment to providing our students a high-quality education that focuses on academic excellence and is free from ideological agendas determining what they should learn,” Rodrigues said, according to the governor's website.
The measure, which likely will reach the floor of the Legislature next month, would require State University System Board of Governors (BOG) and State Board of Education (SBOE) to require the core curriculum to ensure it isn’t eliminating any historical information.
The measure also would ban the formation of a DEI office or the institution of any DEI principles, according to DeSantis’ website. It prohibits any discriminatory practices, such as loyalty oaths in admissions and hiring procedures.
In January, the Lone Star Standard reported that DeSantis’ order requiring public colleges and universities in Florida to reveal their budget and report how much taxpayer dollars were going toward DEI practices. The publication also noted that a number of Texas colleges and universities have programs with DEI ties that use state funds to pay for offices and employees.
The Austin Journal reported that Texas State Rep. Carl Tepper (R-Lubbock) recently filed House Bill 1006, which would ban DEI at public universities .
“Diversity on college campuses is in itself a noble mission, but the practice of reverse discrimination and hostile attacks on contemporary America is counterproductive and wastes public resources,” Tepper told the Austin Journal.
Tepper added that as the cost of a college education continues to rise, the state should curtail any wasteful spending on what he termed “activism,” which would drive racial division and disharmony.
“We are proud Americans and Texans, and public dollars should in no way counter that fundamental viewpoint,” he told the Austin Journal.
