Florida to require students and faculty of public universities to report their political views

[BlueWavePsych]

Last edited Thu Jun 24, 2021, 12:07 PM - Edit history (1)

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation into law on Tuesday that requires students and faculty of public Florida universities to report their political views to the state starting this July. House Bill 233 requires university students and faculty to fill out a survey from the government about their political beliefs in what Gov. DeSantis has called an effort to monitor “intellectual diversity” on campus. Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson (R), echoing the Governor’s sentiments, said that there was a “great risk” that the state’s universities had become “socialism factories.”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/6/23/2036761/-Florida-to-require-students-and-faculty-of-public-universities-to-report-their-political-views



Florida Gov. DeSantis: Universities ‘intellectually repressive,’ survey on beliefs is needed

In his continued push against the “indoctrination” of students, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed legislation that will require public universities and colleges to survey students, faculty and staff about their beliefs and viewpoints to support “intellectual diversity.”

State Sen. Lori Berman, a Boynton Beach Democrat, asked Rodrigues, an Estero Republican, if the information could be “used to punish or reward colleges or universities?” She wondered: “Might faculty be promoted or fired because of their political beliefs?”

Rodrigues said no. But the language in the bill, and the statements made Tuesday, do not back that assertion. The bill also offers no assurances that the survey’s answers will be anonymous, and there is no clarity on who can use the data and for what purpose.

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/national/florida-gov-desantis-universities-intellectually-repressive-survey-on-beliefs-is-needed/article_8dcee341-968b-52cf-991c-dee98ef4eba3.html

[Dave says]

1. This is the Onion, right?

Please tell me it’s the Onion.


(I see that it is not. Welcome to the ongoing birth of the Fascist States of America.)

[ck4829]

2. Intellectual diversity

Last edited Tue Jun 29, 2021, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Normal people: In sociology, that means discussing the 3 large frameworks (Functionalism, Symbolic Interactionism, and Conflict Theory). In biology, that means discussing gradualism AND punctuated equilibrium. In physics, that means quantum mechanics AND general relativity.

Conservatives: Why can't the moon landing hoax be a part of astrophysics? Why is there no discussion of anti-vax TRUTH in medical classes? And nothing about the existential threat transgender people pose? WHY?!

Critical Race Theory

[Buckeye_Democrat]

8. Republicans won't like the results...

... among the scientists, if that nonsense actually happens.


https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2009/07/09/section-4-scientists-politics-and-religion/
Most scientists identify as Democrats (55%), while 32% identify as independents and just 6% say they are Republicans

[ProfessorGAC]

20. That's Been My Experience, As Well

And my sample size is not small.
Engineers, in my experience, lean more to the right, with a healthy dose of libertarianism mixed in.
I have no hypothesis as to why the difference exists, but knowing a few hundred of each, I'd say it definitely does exist.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

21. Yes, I also think that's true.

My oldest brother was an electrical engineer for many years, and he complained to me about the right-wing ideas he heard from several of his coworkers.

I don't have that kind of work experience, but the engineering students at my university (years ago) were far more concerned about their future salaries than the math and physics majors in my courses. The computer science majors were more money-obsessed too.

I'd take courses with nothing except math or physics majors and never hear money-matters mentioned the entire quarter, but I'd overhear those discussions on the first day of a course when engineers or CS majors were also there.

Side story: I took the Putnam Exam (mathematical competition) during my junior year in college, and I felt like such a loser during the lunch break because I KNEW that I didn't solve any of the problems during the first 3-hour session. Meanwhile, several of the engineering students who participated were bragging that it was so easy and they believed they had a perfect score so far. They were absolutely bursting with confidence about it! At that time, I assumed they were making accurate estimations of their success as I sat nearby in quiet depression. (The math professor who proctored the exam was very nice and bought everyone's lunch at a nearby restaurant, which is where I heard them.)
During the second 3-hour session, I knew that I solved at least one problem completely. So that made me feel a little better.
Weeks later, that same math professor saw me in a hallway and congratulated me for my score. I scored 15 out of 120, I think, but he said that over half of all the test-takers around the country scored 0. He also said that I was secretly chosen by him to represent our university for the 3-student team score, before the exams were even received, and my performance helped the school get an "honorable mention" in that regard. The other two team members were senior math majors who both did better than me.
I then asked how the engineering students did, and he said they all got zeroes. Only the three students he'd guessed would perform the best received any points at all!

[ProfessorGAC]

22. Great Story!

[StarryNite]

24. That's really neat!

Good for you!

[Boomerproud]

3. Has any other news outlet reported on this,?

The first word that comes to mind is Orwellian. I can't believe he can get away with this.

[snowybirdie]

7. This is all over

Love
news. He signed the bill at a middle school in Ft Myers.

[BlueWavePsych]

12. WaPo: In push against 'indoctrination,' DeSantis mandates surveys of Florida students' beliefs

After banning public schools from teaching “critical race theory” two weeks ago, Florida is reshaping civics lessons and addressing what its governor says parents worry about when they send their children to college — indoctrination.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) says he is concerned about the free flow of ideas on campus and whether higher education stifles free speech from conservatives. Under a law he signed Tuesday, which will take effect July 1, public universities must assess “viewpoint diversity” on campus each year through a survey developed by the State Board of Education, a requirement that a free-speech expert predicted as a model for other conservative-led states.

Although the Florida law does not address penalties for schools where the survey finds low levels of “intellectual freedom” and “viewpoint diversity,” DeSantis has hinted at the potential for budget cuts at universities that don’t pass muster.

“I think the answer is that it is being mandated because it gives a conservative state legislative body a tool to withhold funding from a university that, based upon the survey results, seems to discriminate against conservative viewpoints,” he said in an interview.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/06/24/florida-intellectual-freedom-law-mandates-viewpoint-surveys/

[lagomorph777]

4. Even today's SCROTUS will reject this out of hand.

This will not survive the first lawsuit.

[PortTack]

6. This

[Initech]

5. Yet more bullshit foisted on us by Fox News.

I swear Fox is at the root of most of our problems right now. Fuck them.

[Thunderbeast]

9. Florida college students....The ball is in your court!

When asked about your "beliefs", I hope you use your creativity and sarcastic world view to give Gov. Desantis some deep philosophical viewpoints.

Let him chew on some extraordinary ideas!

[brush]

10. The better to track Democrats with. DeSantis and the republicans are just out in the open...

with their fascism now.

[Crunchy Frog]

11. I don't see how this could be legal. I hope people won't go along with it.

[spooky3]

13. Next: "affirmative action" to ensure dumbasses get jobs, and

Apparently he thinks the First Amendment does not apply.

[DBoon]

15. because universities discriminate against willfully ignorant people

They need to ensure a fair portion of ignoramuses are hired as faculty and admitted as students

[Throck]

14. Are we North Korea?

[BlueWavePsych]

16. If DeathSantis would have his way, yes!

[Darwins_Retriever]

17. Every student

Whether left or right should list anarchist. And answer the survey accordingly.

[obamanut2012]

18. And all staff, from library staff to secretaries to custodians

Faculty are unionized, staff are barred from unionizing.

[Beringia]

19. Wow, what a whopper

[MagickMuffin]

23. FU: Florida Universities

I'd print a big FU on the questionnaire, and not answer any of their intrusive questions.

That is no one's business but my own unless I want to advertise it.

[Tommy Carcetti]

25. Yeah, as a Florida parent I'm not doing any of that.

And as a close relative to a professor in Florida's university system, that's not happening on that end, either.

[lindysalsagal]

26. I always thought my "Thought Police" jokes were jokes.

So their beloved constitution protects their gunz but not their thoughts?

[liberaltrucker]

27. If I were a student, my reply: NYFB

None of Your Fucking Business.