There is a movement occurring in more than 30 states that seeks to prohibit discussion in higher education settings of topics deemed “divisive” or “inappropriate” by some often ill-defined metric. Nowhere has this movement had more traction than right here in Florida. In the past two years, Florida has adopted several legislative measures that restrict higher education in our state. Taken together, they forbid faculty members from including a set of so-called “divisive concepts” about race, gender and identity in their classrooms; ban most diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; restrict general education curricula and university mission statements; and limit the power of higher education accreditors to perform quality assurance at Florida colleges.
