The State University System Board of Governors on Thursday removed sociology from the public university general education catalog.
At a meeting in Pensacola, the board nixed “Introduction to Sociology” from general education offerings and made the class an elective for the 2026-2027 year.
The move, which wasn’t on the public agenda, was brought up by Chancellor Ray Rodrigues about 40 minutes into the meeting.
“The path to preserve academic freedom and preserve compliance with Florida statutes is clear: remove Sociology 1000 and 2000 courses from all general education classifications. Leave these courses as electives, free to compete in the marketplace of ideas and leave them as the majors and the minors for the students who choose to study them,” Rodrigues said.
It’s part of the state’s push against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in Florida’s public university system.
In 2024, the sociology course was removed from core courses after board members argued it didn’t meet the state’s civics requirements.
“When you look at the concepts that are discussed in sociology, they’re very theoretical,” said board member and then-state Education Commissioner Manny Diaz at the time. “While that field was very scientific, at one point, it has moved away from that.”
–News Service of Florida
Deborah Coffey says
OMG…the continual Fascist dumbing down of America, dividing Americans, and moving toward a total oligarchy. Scary.
Keenan Hreib says
Absolutely correct Deborah! Common sense,empathy through understanding, and seeing the human condition throughout history.
Fascism isn’t coming, it’s here and we need to destroy it as quickly as possible by identifying it and rooting it out! SHAMEFUL.
Skibum says
“When you look at the concepts that are discussed in sociology, they’re very theoretical,” said board member and then-state Education Commissioner Manny Diaz at the time. “While that field was very scientific, at one point, it has moved away from that.”
What a laughable comment, considering this same maga supporting state government installed a science denier Joseph Lapado as the state surgeon general specifically because he disagrees with science based medicine and instead has enacted policies that are just theoretical without scientific evidence to support them.
These state educational fools just want to please our horrible governor in the hope that their cushy positions will not be terminated like so many other educational professionals who were summarily fired in a Naziesque takeover of this state’s higher educational system.
Mark Woods says
These dumb idiots think they are banning the study of socialism.
wow says
I think you nailed it.