The battle for new college

There's a version of this story where they simply reemphasize a classical liberal arts education, the literary canon, classical rhetoric, etc. And they find people qualified and trained to do that. But they just put witch hunting activists in charge of things like Chris Rufo and the results will be predictable.

 

The real irony is that the DeSantis goal of supposedly transforming New College into a public version of Hillsdale College, a very conservative private liberal arts college, borders on being a mutually exclusive goal. One of the ways that Hillsdale distinguishes itself from other educational institutions is the principle of complete independence from governmental mandates. A college governed by a state appointed board is a direct violation of that principle. Even the notion that a state college could be public version of Hillsdale College is an oxymoron. I would add that apparently at least one former Hillsdale faculty member has no problem with Governor Ron's proposal but then a number of so called conservatives including DeSantis himself have no problem with flexibility when it's expedient.

 

What is so amusing is that if New College does what Rufo is saying he'll force them to do and they get sued, all the running off at the mouth Rufo is doing will be used against them in that lawsuit. The man is digging his own grave.

 

Free speech. Granted, it's a harder lawsuit to win than the recent litigation over the Stop WOKE Act, but if Rufo targets professors and classes that push views he disfavors, he's playing with fire.

 

In today’s Times

He pointed to the values section on New College’s mission page, which says the school is committed to creating a more “inclusive community” and “ensuring that historically marginalized and oppressed groups are not experiencing trauma and harm.”

Griffin said the passage illustrates the college has been “completely captured by a political ideology that puts trendy, truth-relative concepts above learning.”

I find these quotes amazing. First, it’s plain that value statement would offend DeSantis conservatives, since their primary goal is to cause marginalized and oppressed groups trauma and harm. Second, it’s Orwellian Newspeak to say the changes are being made in the name of objective truth, when the Hillsdale model is to promote a false version of history.

Tampa Bay Times

 

Seeking to fire all faculty and begin anew in ignorance. These people don’t realize how stupid they are or the damage they do

 

Watching Florida being remade into a dominionist state is utterly heartbreaking. Totally agree that using a fundamentalist Christian propaganda mill as a model of "classicial liberalism" is nothing more than Newspeak to make changes superficially palatable to those unaffected by gutting New College.

 

He is also throwing a temper tantrum because USA Today called him out for being a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer.

 

only the best..smdh

 

This is all simply conservative affirmative action

 

It’s surprising how desantis is making culture wars his primary platform.

 

Desantis likes making you libbies squirm. I have to admit, it’s quite enjoyable.

 

He better hope the Christian Coalition backs him 100%.

Sounds right up there with Donald Puke's platform - A birth certificate. That certainly qualified him for president now didn't it.

It's beyond mind blowing what Republicans are attempting to do -
Re-engineer the societal contract between Gov't and the people by making us a bunch of illiterate's.

This really does smell of 1930's nazi social engineering. DeSantis SUCKS.

 

Well O&B why don't you just start shooting non Republicans with your bang bang stick.

 

When someone’s (anyone’s) primary political motivation is to govern by “owning the other side”, societal ruination will ultimately follow.

And that style of governance certainly seems to float your boat.

If a Dem did to Hobby Lobby what DeSantis did to Disney, the lot of you would be screaming bloody murder.

 

Richard Corcoran supposedly going to be named the new president of New College.

 

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I believe Hillsdale is already substantially higher ranked than New College in at least the US News rankings of liberal arts colleges.