So what’s new in DuhSantistan?

Let's just be blunt, many of those people have no issues with dictators, as long as they're right-wing dictators.

 

Disney sat on the sideline for the governorship. What makes you think they’ll pop up now?

 

Iger is back. Let me be clear though, I think this is going nowhere. More bluster from the facist in chief.

 

Wise move. In this instance, ignore is ur friend.

 

I thought so, as well. But with the election freshly over, there he is again popping off with his hate-filled agenda. He has re-engaged his Hate War on everything - at all levels of the schools (public and university, public and private), the corporate world, and legislative initiatives. I wouldn’t call it bluster any more - he is fanatical in his hate.

 

agree with this. it seems to have gone beyond pandering at this point. The good thing he is destroying any chance he may have ever had in a general. Bad part is he is going scorched earth in my home state. I think the election convinced him he was on the correct path instead of him having an incredibly weak and unorganized opposition. Sadly, I think we are going to have to rely on the courts to check DeS for the remainder of his term. My fear is that his appointees will put loyalty over law. SO far, most of DT's haven't, but it only takes one..

 

There was a whole thread on this

Meet the Pensacola English teacher waging war on books

 

Sorry - should have checked. Will delete and put in there

 

This is just disturbing to think that our gubmnt is going to take our most highly rated liberal arts college in the state and try and turn into a neo christian far right "college". DeS is going down the religious rabbit hole really hard and our legislature nor his staff has the willingness to point him back to the plantation

DeSantis aims to create 'Hillsdale of the south' with conservative overhaul of a Florida college's board (msn.com)

"It is our hope that New College of Florida will become Florida's classical college, more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the south," Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz said in a statement.

The shakeup of the 13-member board is certain to create major tensions at New College, an institution that started as a progressive private school before becoming the state's liberal arts honors college. The small school's student body and faculty have a reputation for leaning left politically.

Turning New College into a Florida version of Hillsdale would amount to flipping it upside down, a wholesale reinvention akin to a hostile takeover, and one that many current students and faculty are likely to resist.

DeSantis aides blasted the school Friday and said an overhaul is needed. "Unfortunately, like so many colleges and universities in America, this institution has been completely captured by a political ideology that puts trendy, truth-relative concepts above learning," said DeSantis Communications Director Taryn Fenske.

 

Looks like somebody else recognizes DeSantis for the Viktor Orban knockoff he is:
Ron DeSantis Is Imposing Political Control on Schools
The threat of right-wing authoritarianism in the United States has lodged itself in the public mind in the model of January 6: A candidate for office refuses to accept defeat and then gins up phony legal complaints escalating into violence. But the more durable and successful model is the pattern used by strongmen like Viktor Orban, which does not require a violent assault on the state but instead employs a combination of legal methods: stacking legislative districts, using state power to bully corporations into support for the ruling party, marginalizing independent media and exploiting state-controlled pseudo-journalistic alternatives, and seizing control of the education system.

Ron DeSantis has used all these tools at various times. Over the last week, the last piece — his determination to control the ideological tenor of schools — has been on bright display. Orban identified schools and universities as a source of dissent, and set out to seize ideological control by placing his allies in control. DeSantis is doing the exact same thing.

 

it’s so obvious why you do this crap at new college. It’s small. I’m sure he’s telling himself these political stunts and games at a small school won’t hurt floridas larger public institutions. He’d be wrong. I’m hearing it from colleagues all over the country in higher Ed. No one wants to come work here in this climate. He keeps doing this overtly authoritarian shit and he will wreck higher Ed on the state for a long time. So stupid.

 

Sounds like things are doing much better at New College right now…

New College students react to DeSantis Board of Trustees appointments

A Liberal Arts College’s Unique Approach To Planning For The Future: The New College Challenge

 

For those who can read, your article says the polar opposite of what you concluded:

“We fight for diversity and equity, and we always believe that this is very much important here," Cardenas said. "I feel like the way that Rufo talks about different issues really does not align with a lot of New College."

On Twitter, Rufo said he wants to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies, develop "a new core curriculum" and restructure the administration and academic departments. He is known for his activism on transgender and racial issues, and also joined DeSantis as he signed the Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics.”

Perhaps that is “doing much better” in the world of the John Birch Society, but not for the kids who chose to go to a welcoming liberal arts college.

 

Same, particularly from academics of color. I know that UF has not had an easy time recruiting people of late, and I also know some well-respected professors of color who left to go elsewhere and who refused UF's courtship for lower-ranked institutions because of the political climate here. This will shock some of you, but people actually care about freedom.

 

I think that these types of victories empower DeS and sends messages to those that may think about challenging any of his positions. Squashing your opposition when they are small to give others pause is straight out of the DT playbook. DeS seems to have moved directly into the Christian nationalism lane. Christians were late to recognize the wolf in sheep's clothing in DT. Will they recognize this wolf or accept and embolden him?

 

Late to recognize? They tried to reelect them and then concocted a bunch of conspiracy theories when he lost.

 

Are there state or federal legal remedies to effectively prevent the redirection of the college to a faith-based college or is this 100% under the control of the Governor and his appointees?

 

there were more and more who called him out after the election. some before but not nearly enough. sadly, it seems that they get shouted down

 

Don’t know, but it is likely in the hands of the appointees.

 

New College is ranked in the top 5 liberal arts colleges in the US. DeSantis wants to completely change it. What more does one need to hear to oppose the unneeded and wholly political meddling in a center of academic success.