A new Florida Republican backed law will require each of the state's public universities to survey the political beliefs of students, faculty, and staff.
Proponents characterized the bill as an efficient way to promote "intellectual diversity" and push back against the liberal "indoctrination" of students.
Frightening.\n\nDeSantis signs bill requiring Florida students, professors to register political views with state\n\nUniversities may lose funding if staff and students' beliefs do not satisfy Florida's GOP-run legislaturehttps://www.salon.com/2021/06/23/desantis-signs-bill-requiring-florida-students-professors-to-register-political-views-with-state/\u00a0\u2026— J. P. Gownder (\u0b95\u0bb5\u0bc1\u0ba3\u0bcd\u0b9f\u0bb0\u0bcd) (@J. P. Gownder (\u0b95\u0bb5\u0bc1\u0ba3\u0bcd\u0b9f\u0bb0\u0bcd)) 1624530352
The law, which was signed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, will take effect beginning July 1, just in time for the upcoming school year.
The Tampa Bay Times reported it remains unclear exactly what the state will do with the results of each university and college's survey, GOP Senator Ray Rodrigues, the bill's sponsor, did admit budget cuts could be in order if school's appear to be "indoctrinating."
Gov. DeSantis proudly touted the bill's efficacy.
"It used to be thought that a university campus was a place where you'd be exposed to a lot of different ideas."
"Unfortunately, now the norm is, these are more intellectually repressive environments. You have orthodoxies that are promoted, and other viewpoints are shunned or even suppressed."When DeSantis was pressed to give an example to support his claim, he did not.
In Ron DeSantis's Florida, cruise lines cannot ask whether someone is vaccinated before boarding, but schools can ask students what political party they support. \n\nThis is absolutely disgusting.— Aaron Parnas (@Aaron Parnas) 1624545591
Instead, he was broad and vague, saying he "knows a lot of parents" who worry their children will be "indoctrinated" into accepting "orthodoxies."
Faculty members, on the other hand, have argued the law attacks their freedom of speech.
The bill's lack of clarity on multiple issues likely contributed to that anxiety. There is no confirmation that survey results will remain anonymous and there's no mention of who can use the data or how the data will be used.
But hints were given in GOP statements about the new law.
\u201cthe state could institute budget cuts if university students and staff do not respond in a satisfactory manner.\u201d\n\nIn a satisfactory manner.\n\nFascist.https://www.salon.com/2021/06/23/desantis-signs-bill-requiring-florida-students-professors-to-register-political-views-with-state/\u00a0\u2026— Jamie Schler (@Jamie Schler) 1624506581
Public universities in Florida will be required to survey both faculty and students on their political beliefs and viewpoints, with the institutions at risk of losing their funding if the responses are not satisfactory to the state's GOP-led legislature.https://www.salon.com/2021/06/23/desantis-signs-bill-requiring-florida-students-professors-to-register-political-views-with-state/\u00a0\u2026— Jon Cooper \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Jon Cooper \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1624537448
The bill does make clear, however, students will be permitted to record their professors and lectures without consent. Those recordings could then be used in a civil or criminal case against the school.
.@GovRonDeSantis unleashes the MAGA Thought Police on Florida. He has signed a Republican bill requiring public universities, colleges to survey students\u2019 and faculty beliefs and fine schools that are insufficiently right wing. https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/florida-gov-ron-desantis-signs-bill-requiring-public-universities-colleges-to-survey-student-faculty-beliefs-115364421670\u00a0\u2026 via @msnbc— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid \ud83d\ude37 (@Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid \ud83d\ude37) 1624536206
Many people, particularly Florida residents, were outraged to hear the bill became law.
schools less \u201cliberal?\u201d\n\nIt\u2019s unconstitutional, obvs. But the goal here is to chill student and youth voter participation. DeSantis has access to the voter rolls. Kids trying to get into college will be terrified to register if they think it will hurt their admission chances.— Pam Keith, Esq. (@Pam Keith, Esq.) 1624543917
NEW: "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 \u201cintellectual diversity\u201d on campus."https://www.democracydocket.com/2021/06/florida-students-must-register-their-political-views-with-the-state/\u00a0\u2026— Marc E. Elias (@Marc E. Elias) 1624482839
Sounds like fascism to me!\n\nIn case you\u2019re wondering, I voted NO on this bill!!https://www.salon.com/2021/06/23/desantis-signs-bill-requiring-florida-students-professors-to-register-political-views-with-state/\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani \ud83d\udd28 (@Rep. Anna V. Eskamani \ud83d\udd28) 1624502925
If you're mad like I am then let's build power in FL and change the direction of our state.https://twitter.com/AnnaForFlorida/status/1408076417515073536?s=20\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani \ud83d\udd28 (@Rep. Anna V. Eskamani \ud83d\udd28) 1624546816
Many cited the GOP legislation as another Republican solution searching for a problem that doesn't exist.
He needs to be sued, when people say what's wrong with the literacy program in Cuba? It's this, you read what they want you to read. That's it. #FidelDeSantis— Cristina \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfa (@Cristina \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfa) 1624504519
This is repackaged McCarthyism. Disgusting— Christina (@Christina) 1624504509
Ron DeSantis signed a law requiring all students/faculty at public universities to declare their political beliefs every year.\n\nLaw goes into effect July 1. Bill doesn\u2019t say what will be done with the info. DeSantis says he\u2019ll cut funding if he finds \u201cindoctrination\u201d of students.pic.twitter.com/BzKG05snbh— Arctic Friend (@Arctic Friend) 1624546866
Ron DeSantis is testing his fascist agenda in Florida. We will never let him take it nationwide.https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/06/22/state-university-faculty-students-to-be-surveyed-on-beliefs/\u00a0\u2026— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch.com) 1624474810
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that requires public universities & colleges survey students, faculty and staff about their beliefs and viewpoints.\n\nThis is the 1st step toward George Orwell's thought police. \n\nOne has to wonder what he will do with this info.— Chris Hahn (@Chris Hahn) 1624466884
For all DeSantis' harsh criticism of lack of diversity of thought and indoctrination, it's worth noting just two weeks ago Florida's State Board of Education banned the teaching of critical race theory.
DeSantis requested that measure.
