The Fight to Preserve the Future of Gender and Women's Studies

Florida News Connection 
July 13, 2023
Posted By: Trimmel Gomes
Original Article: By Aviva Dove-Viebahn for Ms. Magazine.

Attacks on Academic Freedom in Florida: A Nationwide Threat

This is an AI generated summery...
Read Full Article here: BANNED: Gender, Race and Sexuality Studies

Summary:

Scary. Fascist. Dystopic. Unreal. Painful. Absurd.

Proposed legislation in Florida, including HB 999 and SB 266, has raised concerns about academic freedom, diversity, and inclusion in education. Although HB 999 was tabled, SB 266 passed, posing significant restrictions that threaten progressive pedagogy and limit the exploration of gender, race, and sexuality in colleges and universities. These bills are emblematic of a broader trend among reactionary politicians and organizations seeking to suppress critical examinations of social issues and consolidate power.

The attacks on women's studies, ethnic studies, and LGBTQ+ studies programs reflect an alarming effort by Republican-led legislatures and Governor Ron DeSantis to hinder critical thinking and diversity in academia. Florida has introduced regressive bills, including a six-week abortion ban, relaxed concealed firearms laws, restrictions on healthcare for transgender minors, bans on teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in K-12 classrooms, limitations on discussions about menstruation, and the expansion of tuition vouchers diverting funding from public education to private and religious schools.

These bills serve as a blueprint for other Republican-dominated state legislatures, where right-wing governors have been appointing far-right members to university boards of trustees, potentially allowing them to fire faculty whose research or teaching they find objectionable. Bills like HB 999 and SB 266 use the guise of protecting free thought and expression but aim to stifle critical thinking and promote a distorted narrative that disregards the experiences of marginalized communities.

HB 999 specifically targeted the elimination of "critical race theory" from public education, using it as a fear-mongering buzzword to imply the oppression of white people. The recently passed SB 266 is less specific but mandates universities to assess their academic units and prohibits curricula based on theories of systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege. This poses a threat to degree programs in gender and women's studies, Africana studies, ethnic studies, and queer studies, among others. Even general education courses face restrictions on teaching about systemic oppression or invoking "identity politics."

These attacks on academic freedom have a chilling effect, leading to self-censorship and fear of reprisal among faculty and students. The bills disproportionately impact junior faculty and graduate students, exacerbating an already precarious environment. The consequences for education are severe, potentially resulting in an exodus of faculty and students and requiring years of rebuilding for universities. Students are rightfully angered by the implication that they are easily indoctrinated and demand access to scholars engaged in critical research and dialogue.

SB 266 also targets campus programming and organizations advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion, and political or social activism. It gives university presidents the final say in faculty hiring decisions, curtails the ability to appeal firing decisions, and may lead to the termination of faculty based on their ideas or research.

These attacks on higher education in Florida are part of a comprehensive assault on education, including K-12 schools. The expansion of the school voucher system, attempts to ban books and instructional materials, and efforts to control sex education and bathroom usage form a broader agenda to push back progress on civil rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and labor unions.

Despite the challenges, faculty, students, and national organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, American Council of Learned Societies, and the National Women's Studies Association are actively resisting these attacks. The struggle to preserve academic freedom and protect marginalized communities extends beyond Florida and requires collective action to counter the nationwide right-wing movement seeking to take over education. 

Read Full Article here: BANNED: Gender, Race and Sexuality Studies

Content for this Post is provided by Florida News Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service.  Public News Service is a member of the The Trust Project.