This week’s evidence discusses how the social sciences – including educational psychology, economics, political science, and many other fields students need – are under attack. This is not a new development, but the enthusiasm for diminishing scientific inquiry of all sorts has accelerated with the recent election results. The New York Times reports that Florida Universities have slashed core courses that contain “unproven theories because they might include “woke” indoctrination. Gender and ethnic studies and sociology are under special scrutiny, along with inter-cultural studies. At Florida International University, 22 courses have been eliminated, and more than two dozen others have been revised to avoid state restrictions. This reminds me of my star student in China, who anchored the evening news and claimed that “we have no censorship in China.” She responded to my incredulity with the statement, “We do not need censorship in China – we censor ourselves.” So, it is today in the land of free speech.
The long game is clear – when classes lack enrollment, university administrators have the ready excuse to cut courses and departments entirely. Particularly offensive are the policies that demand that courses “not make students uncomfortable.” Ironically, this is precisely what university leftist professors have done with trigger warnings and other efforts to avoid student discomfort. Indoctrination and censorship are dangerous, whether from the left or right. It robs students of the essence of education – the ability to think critically and challenge prevailing orthodoxy. Just ask Galileo. Here’s the link: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/21/us/florida-social-sciences-progressive-ideas.html