Florida education leaders have moved to block introductory sociology courses from counting toward general education requirements at all state colleges, escalating a growing clash with a field known for probing issues of race, gender, and inequality.
Weeks ago, the State University System Board of Governors made this ruling effective for the state’s 12 public universities. But at a State Board of Education meeting, Education Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas recommended that this apply also to all of 28 state colleges in Florida.
“Despite all of our work, sociology continues to be a sinking ship,” Kamoutsas said during the state education board’s meeting April 17 in Naples. “The course has strayed from education to indoctrination, pushing ideological narratives instead of fostering genuine critical thinking.”
These changes adopted by education officials come after professors across Florida criticized a new sociology textbook adopted in some universities since January, which was crafted by some faculty to comply with state law (SB 266). The law prohibits general education courses from including a curriculum based on “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent” in the country’s institutions.
“This is in keeping with the trend to one, eliminate introduction to sociology as a potential general ed class for students, and two, to use this process as a soapbox to speak out against sociology as a discipline,” United Faculty of Florida president Robert Cassanello said after the state education board’s decision.
The battle between sociology and Florida officials has been ongoing for years, but this is the latest development in the state’s efforts to tackle how universities teach racial and social inequities – a mission that’s spanned years of development as Gov. Ron DeSantis has sought to battle “woke” ideologies.
Sociology courses initially axed from university gen-ed
The decision to axe introductory sociology from general education requirements first came at the university level, where State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said he was concerned after reading comments from professors published in news reports.
Rodrigues said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network – Florida that he read a Guardian story about professors teaching the classes including the removed materials, and that universities could lose state funding if found violating the law.
“If they were that intimidated, they wouldn’t feel confident enough to tell mainstream publications their intent to violate the law,” Rodrigues said in a previous interview.
Professors were critical of how a new textbook was seeking to introduce students to the discipline, since the changes from prior teachings removed chapters on media and technology, global inequality, race, social stratification, gender and sexuality.
The discipline has faced attacks from the DeSantis administration, but it heightened in 2021 with the passage of SB 266. That law directed the Board of Governors to review academic programs to ensure they align with a university’s mission, along with preventing general education courses from distorting historical events.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@usatodayco.com. On X: @stephanymatat.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida blocks sociology courses for state colleges
Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
