By Carrie Murphy
As American political culture grows more separated, ideological debate topics have seeped into our education. In multiple southern states, laws have been introduced that change which topics are being taught in school. The most publicized of these laws is currently being argued in Florida, spearheaded by Ron DeSantis, the current Republican governor. The law, called the Stop W.O.K.E act, stands for “wrong to our kids and employees.” Stop W.O.K.E blocks African American, Feminism, Holocaust and Jewish studies from being taught in schools, as well as regulating how tenure is given out per professor. The law reflects a growing culture of right-wing led censorship, policing especially what materials are being taught to our students.
Currently, one of the most prevalent right-wing motives is control over the school environment, both academically and socially. Academics, per which this law pertains too, is one of the prime targets for those who want to change the ideological “norm” of their society. A group of people who base their values on intense patriotism and a lack of global cooperation wouldn’t want their child to learn about events such as slavery and Indigenous genocide, because those events paint America as a perpetrator. If one’s political party is at its core, a party that wishes to uphold the American government, it would be a terrible idea to paint America as the bad guy. For the eradication of Women’s, Black, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ studies, there is currently no explanation for this decision other than simply a distaste for these topics being taught in school. Perhaps right-wing media is painting these topics as “unnecessary,” or “unrelated,” but most scholars of American history and social studies would vehemently disagree. In reality, the utter whitewashing of our narrative contributes to the idea that history should be documented from the perspective of those at the top of societal hierarchies. In this perspective, history should only remember white, wealthy, straight, men.
Another aspect of this law, while less publicized, is just as concerning. The stop W.O.K.E act is also attempting to eradicate the tenure program for college professors. For those unfamiliar, the tenure program makes the firing process much more complicated for professors, a privilege they are rewarded after lengthy work experience and board approval. The idea of tenure is already argued, for some believe that it makes it easy for universities to keep professors who are prejudiced in their classes or harmful to students. However, the reasoning behind the clause differs from public opinion. Simply, the Florida government wants professors to be fired when they teach topics that they consider distasteful. Additionally, the law gives more power to the schools board of trustees, which must review professors every five years. DeSantis plans to appoint colleagues and connections into these boards, which brings governmental interruption into higher education.
This law is a terrifying, yet familiar idea about American education. Censorship and policing in schools has been around for decades, and immensely prevalent in the last five years. However, this new development is something worth keeping track of. What’s happening in Florida is happening to a degree in many other states, and its impact on how children are taught will be extreme. While residents of a democratic state may feel more comfortable than most, it is important to stay involved and aware of what ideas are being introduced into state government. Support those who see their school environment changing rapidly, and make sure the narrative being shared where you are, is the right one.