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Florida



  • Scholars Stage Teach-in on Racism in DeSantis's Back Yard

    Yohuru Williams and the Institute for Common Power, directed by Terry Anne Scott, convened a 24-hour teach-in in St. Petersburg to draw attention to the connections between inclusive history lessons and functioning democracy. 



  • CA's Newsom Demands Info on Florida Textbook Revisions

    “You don’t get to rewrite history in a back room. You don’t get to erase basic facts around segregation, the holocaust, or Rosa Parks’ story. The extremists in Florida and textbook companies that are colluding with them are about to be exposed.”



  • New College Faculty Vote to Censure College's New Trustees

    The censure motion, which was supported by 80% of the faculty, called the new majority of the Board of Trustees negligent in its fiduciary duty to the college because of noncompliance with transparency laws, failure to disclose financial conflicts of interest, and disregard for procedure in reviewing tenure applications. 



  • I'm Headed to Florida to Teach-In Against DeSantis's Education Policies

    by Kellie Carter Jackson

    This May 17 saw a 24-hour teach-in by historians in St. Petersburg, Florida, to protest the restrictions on curriculum, books and ideas pushed by Governor Ron DeSantis and his allies. As a historian of abolition, the author stresses that denying people the pen may influence them to pick up the sword. 



  • Florida's Book Banners Face New Opposition—and Their Lawyers

    While there is a groundswell of opposition to book removal policies and other restrictions on educational content, it remains to be seen whether Democratic politicians will commit to defending the importance of public education in a multicultural democracy. 



  • Florida Just Banned Everything I Teach

    by William Horne

    Black historians during the Jim Crow era observed that the history taught in schools justified slavery, segregation, and lynching. A professor thinks that's where Ron DeSantis's vision of history is headed. Some politicians may think curriculum is a winning issue, but students and society will lose. 



  • Florida Rejects Social Studies Topics on Communism, "Taking a Knee"

    by Valerie Strauss

    After rejecting more than 80 percent of proposed materials for K-12 social studies courses, Florida accepted many revised materials but still rejected 35 percent. Topics refused? Social justice in the Hebrew Bible, national anthem protests, and prosperous countries with socialist economies. 



  • Florida Senate Rejects DeSantis Pick for New College Trustee Board

    Eddie Speir, whose prior experience in education was running a private K-12 religious school, was rejected by the Florida Senate after having participated in board meetings at the New College of Florida as an interim Trustee. What distinguishes Speir from Governor Ron DeSantis's other appointees? 



  • How an Accreditor Became a Political Target

    The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools used to keep a low profile while verifying the academic integrity of schools in their region. But their region includes Texas and Florida. 



  • Statehouse Assaults on Tenure and Diversity are Impacting Hiring at State Universities

    "In Florida, some candidates’ concerns are so profound that they’re turning down job offers in the state — despite not having other offers, said Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida, a union representing faculty at all 12 of the state’s public universities, a private one, and community colleges."



  • Controversy Dogs Another Florida Campus Presidential Search

    by Francie Diep

    The elevation of Henry Mack III, a senior leader at the state education department, to the final tier of candidates for the presidency of Florida Gulf Coast University has raised questions whether academic experience or political considerations are the driving factor.