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Challenges Facing Humanities Education in Florida and Beyond
As a college junior majoring in the humanities, my aspirations have remained steady: to immerse myself in literature and eventually pursue a legal career. However, the landscape of education that I navigate today is markedly different from what it once was.
Over the past decade, there has been a notable decline in the number of students enrolling in humanities majors, with figures showing a decrease of 17 percent. This shift hints at a broader transformation within our educational system, which has become increasingly results-oriented.
Today’s students often evaluate their worth based on metrics such as GPA, job prospects, and rankings, leading them to choose majors with an eye toward future employment rather than a genuine appreciation for the knowledge itself. In this context, learning is frequently viewed merely as a means to an end.
While the pursuit of lucrative opportunities isn’t inherently negative, this corporate mindset has fostered an environment where apathy and dishonesty flourish. Instances of academic dishonesty are reportedly on the rise, compounded by an increasing reliance on AI for tasks that traditionally require critical thinking and engagement. Furthermore, the societal value placed on the humanities is diminishing as a result of this results-driven culture.
This trend in education reflects a larger societal tendency to glorify STEM fields while dismissing the humanities as irrelevant. While STEM subjects can offer challenging coursework, the humanities enrich our understanding of culture, ethics, philosophy, and art, promoting vital skills like critical thinking. Both ambition and rich inquiry should be valued equally in education.
The Legislative Environment in Florida
Despite the importance of the humanities, legislative actions in Florida suggest a different narrative. In 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law requiring annual surveys of around 500,000 students and faculty to identify perceived political biases on college campuses, often linked to the humanities.
Although the survey’s outcomes indicated low statistical significance, particularly among students, the faculty results contradicted the governor’s claims regarding a pervasive “woke ideology” in academia. Nevertheless, this legislation is part of a broader wave of changes impacting higher education.
The push for legislative change has created an atmosphere that discourages the pursuit of humanities degrees. Actions include plans to devalue expertise among faculty, eliminate any course associated with “identity politics”, and impose requirements for including the Western canon in general education courses.
Compounding these pressures, there were attempts by some state Republicans to remove humanities majors from eligibility for the Bright Futures Scholarship, arguing that funding should only support degrees directly linked to employment.
In a direct response to the SB 266 legislation, Florida’s board of governors purged 702 of 1,181 courses from general education at the University of Florida, significantly impacting the humanities. Removed courses include crucial subjects like Holocaust studies, African American history, women’s studies, and Eastern religions.
Though not outright bans, these removals effectively limit students’ options due to strict course requirements, making it nearly impossible to take additional classes that don’t contribute towards degree completion.
The Implications of Restrictive Legislation
This legislation implicitly discourages diversity in educational offerings, marginalizing voices and perspectives that don’t conform to a Western-centric view. Faculty members are also self-censoring, hesitant to engage in discussions addressing controversial topics out of concern for their job security, stifling academic discourse.
What is presented as a solution to “wokeness” ultimately undermines the value of humanities education and discourages global educational engagement. By prioritizing difficulty over depth, we risk fostering cultural misunderstandings and reducing the breadth of knowledge available to students.
Related: PROOF POINTS: The number of college graduates in the humanities drops for the eighth consecutive year
The current federal administration has mirrored similar trends, with rhetoric from President Trump focusing on “reclaiming” higher education from perceived radical influences. This suggests that the challenges facing the humanities in Florida could proliferate if this mindset prevails nationally.
My education in English has afforded me an in-depth understanding of literature and has developed my analytical skills. However, since I began my studies at the University of Florida, I have witnessed firsthand how these restrictive laws have altered my educational experiences.
To preserve advanced literacy and depth within education, we must advocate for the humanities. Changing the culture surrounding this discipline is essential for ensuring that it retains its rightful place in our educational framework.
Peyton Harris is a third-year English student at the University of Florida, focusing her research on the impact of higher education legislation on local universities.
Source
hechingerreport.org