Florida State University recently determined that many classes centered on identity politics will no longer count toward a general education requirement.
The Tallahassee Democrat reported that More than 400 courses were affected, including Theories of African American Studies, which examines “theories of race discrimination and oppression as it relates to African Americans,” and LGBTQ history, which “showcases the historically contingent nature of homosexuality and gender identity, giving particular attention to the ways that sexual identity intersects with race, class, and gender.”
The decision was taken on Thursday by Florida State University’s Board of Trustees during a newly mandated yearly review of courses, though the courses, while no longer present on the general education roster, will continue to be available to interested students, the Tallahassee Democrat wrote.
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Florida Statute 1007.25, which is mentioned by the Tallahassee Democrat, states that “[g]eneral education core courses may not distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
Peter Collins, Chair of Florida State University’s Board of Trustees, called the revisions a “good cleanup” and added: “It’s a good effort, but it’s so important that we communicate with the faculty and the people teaching these classes on a daily basis to let them know this board (of trustees) is certainly not trying to infringe upon what they’re trying to teach,” according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
Florida International University made a similar move to Florida State recently, declaring that more than 20 classes that have a focus on identity politics will no longer count towards general education. Some professors expressed dismay, with one insisting that students need to “understand systems of oppression.”
Other Florida universities also conducted reviews of their coursework.
In August, Florida’s State University System required its schools to review course materials to see if they include anti-Semitic propaganda. The decision prompted opposition from some professors, who alleged that it was “counterproductive,” “an infringement on academic freedom,” and “a witch hunt.”
Florida universities’ decisions stand in contrast to other schools that are still mandating courses related to identity politics and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, sometimes in seeming contravention of state law.
One example is the University of Oklahoma forcing students to enroll in a DEI course, even though state legislation prohibits such classes from being mandatory. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt criticized this mandate, writing on X: “Universities are more focused on pronouns than they are prepping for the workforce. And left-wing accreditation monopolies that peddle DEI curriculum hide out of sight and let liberal faculty call the shots. It’s time to clean this up.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Florida State University’s Board of Trustees for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
