Couching their cynical moves to promote right-wing teaching at public universities, Republican governors and legislatures have doubled down on their bogus attacks on teaching the impact of racism on our institutions (i.e., critical race theory). They're now focusing on policing instruction at public universities in their jurisdictions, going after universities which they perceive as "indoctrinating" students in liberal philosophy.
On Tuesday, Florida's ambitious and amoral Trump enabler Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will require universities to survey "viewpoint diversity" (i.e., promulgation of right-wing studies) that could lead to budget cuts if Republican political hacks in the state want to punish them for falling short (and they will):
"The bill defines those two terms as the exposure to — and encouragement or exploration of — “a variety of ideological and political perspectives.”
'We want our universities to be focused on critical thinking and academic rigor. We do not want them as basically hotbeds for stale ideology,' DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday. 'That’s not worth tax dollars and not something we’re going to be supporting moving forward.'” (our emphasis)
Of course, what could be more stale that peddling "lost cause" myths about the Civil War, ignore Jim Crow of yesteryear and today, "trickle down" economics, and other right-wing articles of faith?
In Republican-controlled Indiana, a bill was signed into law in late April that would "survey" students to determine whether they felt that they were free to express opinions (including misogynist, racist, etc. opinions) without negative consequences. The initiative, which was cynically couched in "free speech" terms, is part of a national drive by the right to police courses and activities on campus and to force universities to include right-wing teachings and allow their offensive activism. Leading the national drive is a right-wing organization, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which is funded by conservative outfits link the Charles Koch Institute and Bradley Foundation and is opposed to "campus speech codes" protecting minorities from harassment and slander.
The actions of Florida and Indiana won't be the last, and may not be the worst, to come on this latest culture war battlefront.
