With a vote teed up in the Senate, the Florida Legislature appears ready to pass a controversial proposal that would require colleges and universities to conduct surveys gauging “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on campus.
The Senate on Thursday took up the House’s version of the measure (HB 233), which would lead to colleges and universities surveying students, faculty and staff members. The move positioned the Senate to take a final vote on the proposal, which the Republican-controlled House passed in a 77-42 party-line vote on March 18.
Under the proposal, the state university system’s Board of Governors and the State Board of Education would be required to create an “objective, nonpartisan and statistically valid survey.”
Senate sponsor Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said Thursday the measure’s main objective is “asking the question.” Rodrigues said governing bodies that oversee colleges and universities would determine whether there is intellectual freedom on campus based on the survey results.
“Should those results come back, implying that there’s a lack of intellectual freedom or a lack of viewpoint diversity, and the administration says they’re fine with that, the market will decide whether that’s acceptable or unacceptable,” Rodrigues said.
The Senate could vote on the bill as soon as Wednesday.
During a debate last month, House sponsor Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, said future legislatures could “use that data as the basis to make a policy decision.”
The proposal also would prevent colleges and universities from “shielding” students, faculty and staff from any kind of speech. Opponents have argued the provision would allow groups like the Ku Klux Klan to come to campuses. Rodrigues and Roach have said the proposal would stop institutions from barring any group from speaking on campus.
The measure defines “shield” as limiting “access to, or observation of, ideas and opinions that they may find uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable, or offensive.”
Senate Democrats were united in opposing the bill Thursday, questioning whether the surveys would create a “political, ideological litmus test.”
“Don’t you think it’s dangerous for us to have all the data on personal opinions of university faculty and students?” asked Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach.
“I do not think that’s dangerous. Other states that have gone down this road have actually found it educational and beneficial. I think that would be educational and beneficial in the state of Florida as well,” Rodrigues responded.
Democrats pressed Rodrigues on what could be done with survey data and whether the results could be wielded for political purposes. Members of the Board of Governors and State Board of Education are political appointees.
“I would say we’ve got a very long history of having political appointees in this position, and I have not seen any sentiment that they are abusing their positions for their own political purposes,” Rodriges said.
Like their House counterparts, Senate Democrats also took issue with part of the measure allowing students to make video and audio recordings of classroom lectures. That part of the proposal has sparked debate in previous committees over intellectual property rights of professors.
The measure, which has drawn objections from the United Faculty of Florida, would permit students to record lectures “for their own personal educational use, in connection with a complaint to the public institution of higher education where the recording was made or as evidence in, or in preparation for, a criminal or civil proceeding.”
Rodrigues argued there currently is no uniform rule that addresses recording classroom lectures and that students already can make recordings on campus.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, asked if a minor student who is dual-enrolled at a high school and a college or university could be recorded under the measure.
“We have not made any specific allowances for the recording, or not recording, of minors on campus,” Rodrigues said.
Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, asked whether colleges and universities have requested conducting surveys.
“Are they the ones who have requested this survey be done?” Thurston asked.
“They have not requested the survey be done. That was my idea,” Rodrigues answered.
Rodrigues said the institutions also have not been involved in drafting the bill.
–Ryan Dailey, News Service of Florida
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Deborah Coffey says
Republicans continue down the dangerous road to FASCISM. They demand information so they know where to “crack down” next. Either the GOP will die soon or, our country is finished as a democracy. We are being put in grave danger by today’s Republican Party. Imagine their push against transgender youth across the nation, their massive voter suppression laws, anti-abortion laws (by the hundreds), lies about one of the most legitimate and clean elections of all times! The Republican LIES are killing a once great country. Save America. Vote ’em ALL out!
Informed says
Deborah, put your preconceived notions and liberal bias aside and educate yourself on what is going on on college campuses. Try reading the “college fix” or “campus reform”.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/campus-expression-survey-finds-students-reluctant-to-share-views-on-controversial-topics/
Better yet check out the Fall of 2020 Heterodox Academy’s Campus Expression Survey. https://heterodoxacademy.org/campus-expression-survey/
Michael Cocchiola says
Republicans go wild! They’ll soon be able to book Neo-Nazis, evangelical Trumpers, anti-semites, anti-LGBTQs, and other favored crazies into UF, FSU, UCF, and other state universities to help spread the GQP gospel.
The answer is for parents, students and staff to boycott and rebel.
Old Guy says
Another so called solution in search of a problem.
Pogo says
@Deborah Coffey
100% Correct. The report concludes with, “…Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, asked whether colleges and universities have requested conducting surveys.
“Are they the ones who have requested this survey be done?” Thurston asked.
“They have not requested the survey be done. That was my idea,” Rodrigues answered.
Rodrigues said the institutions also have not been involved in drafting the bill.”
Q(s): Rodrigues’ idea? Who in hell is Rodrigues? Who is actually speaking when Rodrigues’ lips are moving?
A(s): https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/138179/ray-rodrigues
The caption for the illustration that accompanies this report: “Florida’s GOP lawmakers miss the 1950s. (Boston Public Library)” Amen. Their (the Republican party) nostalgia is for this:
https://www.google.com/search?d&q=committee+on+unamerican+azctivities
Old whine (sic) in a new bottle: The GOP claims they’re defending freedom of thought and expression – even as they assemble the inquisition…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition
Agkistrodon says
Yeah I guess if you don’t want to hear truth from students point a view you should be against this. The new fascism, be able to speak your mind…….yeah I am all for that. Free speech is exactly what it implies. If something I said offends you, good.
Percy's mother says
The sun is shining today. The weather is beautiful, warm but not too warm. There’s a lovely breeze.
This is a good time to get out in the yard, do some cleanup, plant some Florida Native wildflowers, tidy up in general, and then sit back and enjoy the sun and the breeze as well as the fruits of one’s labor. Those Florida Native’s will be in bloom with lovely shades of yellow, blue, red, orange and pink . . . really lovely to look at.
How about sitting outside after all that work with a glass of lemon water and mint?
All the above is good for health, mental health and for one’s outlook on life.
The beach and sea breeze are both available too.
All the above so much better than concentrating on “fascism” and fear of “the Republicans”.
Patrick Bruell says
Quite certain that Ms. Coffey fears Fascism mostly because it’s the flipside of her Communist coin she is hiding till all American society is broken beyond repair by the communist lies which are turning American brains into applesauce as calculated – no longer able to discern the truth from the lie, and no longer caring when they are given drug and food rations to make a quiet exit to nothingness,
Just drug them up, lie them down, and tell them they are now free. Newspeak, Newthink are now your greatest friends as the demo-communist totalitarians seize full control of your body mind and thoughts.
mark101 says
Free speech, until you offend someone or hurts someones little feelings in the Land of the the Offended. Sometimes the truth hurts and actually places blame where it lies. . But the way the new Federal govt is heading since the election is to provide everything to all people at the cost of nobody but the govt. So you walk this way, you work this way, you live this way and you get paid this way and everything is provided for you in the years to come.. Sounds familiar !
Deborah Coffey says
Sure, and the KKK will actually place the blame where it lies, right? How many LIES did Donald Trump tell? Close to 5,000? How much of YOUR money did he give to his friends and the 1%? 83% of $2 Trillion? Got it.
Pogo says
@What Republicans say vs what they do
Welcome to the Republican Republic of Floriduh:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estates_of_the_realm
And so it goes.