Current:Home > InvestFlorida Board of Education bans DEI on college campuses, removes sociology core course -ProfitMasters Hub
Florida Board of Education bans DEI on college campuses, removes sociology core course
View
Date:2025-04-19 08:24:33
The Florida Board of Education Wednesday approved rules that prohibit spending on diversity, equity and inclusion and remove sociology from general education core course options at community and state colleges. The decision echoes similar moves in Texas, which last year passed a law banning spending on DEI.
“We will continue to provide our students with a world-class education with high-quality instruction,” Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said during the board’s morning meeting on Tallahassee Community College’s campus.
The established rules follow Gov. Ron DeSantis’ conservative target on education in the state, where he signed a DEI law last year that dismantles such programs in public colleges and universities while making changes to the post-tenure review process for faculty.
While Florida’s Board of Governors has already introduced similar DEI regulations for institutions in the State University System, the Board of Education’s unanimous vote Wednesday officially implements the rule for the Florida College System – which consists of 28 colleges.
As of this January, 49 bills targeting DEI have been introduced in 23 states, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education tracker. Seven of those bills have been signed into law.
The regulation prohibits institutions from spending funds on DEI and from advocating for DEI, which is specifically defined 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 on the basis of such classification,” according to the rule.
More on DEI law:DeSantis signs bill banning funding for college diversity programs
But the colleges and universities can still spend money on student-led organizations, regardless of whether they consist of any speech or activity that might violate the DEI rule.
“DEI is really a cover for discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination, and that has no place in our state colleges at all,” Chair Ben Gibson said during the meeting. “Our state colleges need to be focused on learning and not any form of discrimination of any sort whatsoever.”
In addition, the regulation about the sociology course comes after Diaz – who also serves on the Board of Governors – made the proposal to the board to remove "Principles of Sociology" from the state’s core courses for general education requirements during a November meeting.
The general education core courses rule adds "Introduction to Geology" and "Introduction to Oceanography" as two new options in the natural sciences category while also adding “Introductory Survey to 1877,” to the social science subject area – ultimately taking out the sociology course.
The new social science core course option will cover American history from the country’s earliest colonial beginnings to 1877.
But after Diaz’s initial proposal, sociology department leaders across the state expressed their discontent about the change, saying that it will "impoverish" the curriculum.
More:Florida faculty ‘strongly object’ to removal of sociology from core college courses list
“It's important to make sure that taking out sociology really 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,” Florida College System Chancellor Kathryn Hebda said Wednesday. “Everything from colonization through the New Republic, to the Civil War and slavery, all of that is included in that first survey course.”
Although the sociology class will no longer be on the core course options list for general education requirements, students will still be able to access the course if they are interested in taking it, Hebda says.
“Students should be focused on learning the truth about our country instead of being radicalized by woke ideologies in our college classrooms,” Diaz said.
Contact Tarah Jean at [email protected] or follow her on X: @tarahjean_.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- How West Virginia’s first transgender elected official is influencing local politics
- 4-year-old girl dies from injuries in Texas shooting that left entire family injured
- How long does Deion Sanders want to remain coach at Colorado? He shared a number.
- Sam Taylor
- Stanford names Maples Pavilion basketball court after legendary coach Tara VanDerveer
- This Overnight Balm Works Miracles Any Time My Skin Is Irritated From Rosacea, Eczema, Allergies, or Acne
- Baby giraffe panics, dies after its head got stuck in a hay feeder at Roosevelt Park Zoo
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- A gay couple is suing NYC for IVF benefits. It could expand coverage for workers nationwide
Ranking
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Is decaf coffee bad for you? What to know about calls to ban a chemical found in decaf.
- Target to reduce number of stores carrying Pride-themed merchandise after last year’s backlash
- Despite revenue downgrade, North Carolina anticipates nearly $1B more in cash
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Rapper NBA YoungBoy is held on $100K bail in Utah prescription fraud case
- Indiana-Atlanta highlights: How Caitlin Clark, Fever performed in second preseason game
- A gay couple is suing NYC for IVF benefits. It could expand coverage for workers nationwide
Recommendation
North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
2 skiers killed, 1 rescued after Utah avalanche
Bird flu risk to humans is low right now, but things can change, doctor says
How long does Deion Sanders want to remain coach at Colorado? He shared a number.
The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Arrive in Nigeria for 3-Day Tour
Virginia budget leaders reach compromise with governor on state spending plan
Faulty insulin pump tech led to hundreds of injuries, prompting app ecall