Higher education reform could be next on DeSantis's agenda

Jack Birle

March 12, 05:00 AM March 12, 05:00 AM

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is planning an ambitious agenda for the upcoming legislative session, and a reform of higher education procedures is likely an item on that agenda.

DeSantis has made education a key part of his agenda in recent years, and now he may be looking at passing a proposed bill to restructure several aspects of public universities in the Sunshine State.

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The Florida governor has already taken action with an eye toward universities. He rejected a proposed curriculum for an WHD African American studies course because it included lesson plans on "Black Queer Studies," "'postracial' racism and colorblindness," and support for slavery reparations. The College Board later revised the proposed curriculum that DeSantis rejected.

He also appointed several conservative activists and individuals to the board of the state-run New College of Florida. He's also seeking to provide more funding to increase recruitment and scholarships, citing low enrollment at the institution.

DeSantis proposed reforms to state universities that would eliminate funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which he says serve as "a political filter." Proposed reforms include faculty tenure reviews and requiring that general education courses do not "promote ideological indoctrination."

"I don't think there's any state in the country that's been leading on the issue of higher education the way the state of Florida has," DeSantis said at the time. "I think you can say that on many issues over the last however many years where Florida leads on time and time again. It's important that your tax dollars are funding institutions that you can be proud of."

House Bill 999, filed by Republican state Rep. Alex Andrade, would change Florida statutes to incorporate reforms DeSantis has called for.

The initial draft of the bill says, "each state university board of trustees may, at the request of its chair, review any faculty member's tenure status." The draft also provides for allowing state universities to "initiate a post-tenure review of a faculty member at any time with cause."

Other provisions included in the bill restrict the use of DEI, political identity, and critical race theory in hiring practices. The bill would also forbid universities from using funds to "promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that violate s. 1000.05(4)(a) or that espouse diversity, equity, and inclusion or Critical Race Theory rhetoric."

The proposed bill also follows DeSantis's call for core education courses to be rid of what the governor calls "ideological indoctrination" by forbidding the courses from suppressing or distorting "significant historical events."

"General education core courses may not suppress or distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics, such as Critical Race Theory, or defines American history as contrary to the creation of a new nation based on universal principles stated in the Declaration," a line in the bill says.

The Florida governor has not said whether he will support the bill in its current form, but the reforms line up with his previous calls for change in state universities.

DeSantis reiterated Tuesday that he does not control the bills which are filed by state legislatures. He made that point when asked about a bill filed by a state legislator that would require certain bloggers to register with the state.

"I see these people filing bills, and then there's articles with my face on the article saying that, 'oh, bloggers are going to have to register for the state,' and it's like, attributing it to me," DeSantis said at a press conference Tuesday. "That's not anything that I've ever supported. I don't support."

“Every person in the legislature can file bills,” he added. “I don’t control every single bill that has been filed."

DeSantis will likely use laws passed during the legislative session as a springboard for a 2024 presidential run. He's expected to announce his intentions after the conclusion of the legislative session in late May or early June.

The Florida governor has made stops in California and Iowa in recent weeks. Those stops have added to speculation that he will seek the GOP nomination in 2024. The only declared candidates so far in the Republican primary are former President Donald Trump, former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC), and entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy.

'DeSantis Democrats': Why blue voters are switching to red in Florida

Jack Birle

December 22, 06:00 AM December 22, 06:00 AM

"DeSantis Democrats" may have been central to the overwhelming reelection last month of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

He won several Democratic-leaning areas, including Miami-Dade County.

Voters who have not considered voting Republican before flipped to DeSantis in 2022, according to a report from the Free Press.

Voters cited in the report gave various reasons for the way they voted. Many cited economic concerns, specifically inflation, as their main motivation. But a bevy of them also cited DeSantis's leadership abilities, his ideology, and how "he kept the schools open and taxes low."

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"He’s the good parts of Trump without that cockiness,” Andres Arcila told the Free Press.

Voters surveyed in the report ranged from a bartender at a Miami strip club to an information technology specialist from Jacksonville. This hints at the diversity of voters who supported DeSantis in his landslide 59.4%-40% victory over Democrat Charlie Crist.

DeSantis's burgeoning appeal is prompting comparisons with "Reagan Democrats," a historical reference that cannot but be pleasing to the Florida governor, who already leads many Republican polls of presidential contenders. Many former Democrats switched to support President Ronald Reagan, delivering a thumping Republican victory in 1980 and a 49-state landslide in 1984.

Voters were captivated by Reagan's policies and leadership at a time of high inflation and low public morale, conditions that are partially echoed today. If DeSantis can translate his success in Florida to the rest of the country, he could find his way in the White House.

DeSantis is seen as one of the top candidates in the GOP field for the 2024 presidential election, leading recent polls ahead of other top candidates, including former President Donald Trump.