Friends, it's no secret that our higher ed system in America has become a playground for woke maniacs. In other words, it's become an environment in which left-wing extremists feel empowered to bully, harrass, and intimidate anyone who dares to differ with leftist orthodoxy. It's also increasingly common for professors to take advantage of their leverage over students to indoctrinate them in neo-Marxist ideology.
Now, theoretically, many of our colleges and universities are publicly owned, run, and financed, so shouldn't, well, the public have a say in all of this? If our higher ed system is taking its left-wing bias too far, shouldn't there be a way for the people's elected representatives to push back? Again, theoretically, the answer is yes, but almost never, even in the reddest of states, do politicians find effective ways of doing so. Leftists are so dug in at most colleges, and reign so supreme in administrations and faculties, that challenging their dominance is largely a wasted effort.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, not surprisingly, is taking on this herculean challenge. Under his watch, Florida has already passed a new law to loosen tenure protections for professors, and to require them to face a formal review process every five years, even after gaining tenure. Professors are also supposed to "remain productive" and refrain from "indoctrinating students".
Those goals sound appealing enough, but the devil is in the details, as we all know. And some of those details may be fleshed out in the months ahead, as Florida legislators weigh new proposals to take hiring decisions away from college presidents and to give them instead to Boards of Trustees. There would also be a blanket ban on instruction in "critical race theory".
Such proposals are well-intentioned, to be sure, but one has to question whether they would achieve any meaningful change in the ideological orientation of Florida higher ed. What constitutes a "productive" professor is subjective, and what constitutes "critical race theory", at least according to Florida lawmakers, is likely to be equally murky. And who, in the final analysis, will make such determinations? Are Boards of Trustees likely to be any more trustworthy, or any less woke, than college administrators and faculty members? Possibly, since many trustees are directly nominated by the Governor, but what would happen if that Governor were, at some future point, a Democrat? The leftward tilt of Florida higher ed could actually be exacerbated! What Governor DeSantis is proposing, in effect, is the increased politicization of Florida's public colleges and universities, which, since the state is currently red, may seem attractive, but it offers no permanent solution to the problem of ideological bias.
Frankly, there is also an argument to be made that the bias of individual professors is healthy, insofar as it exposes students to strident views that could stimulate the development of their own worldview. The problem arises when only professors from one ideological camp are allowed to pontificate, and when students are afraid to push back when they have legitimate disagreements with their professors. On a day to day basis, such battles will be fought in the trenches of college classrooms and, ocassionally, in deans' and HR offices. Trustees are not likely to be aware of many of these clashes, and are even less likely to intervene in them successfully. Trustees overwhelmingly take a passive role in the administration of the colleges and universities in their charge, after all, since they are only part-time overseers.
If much of this analysis sounds pessimistic, even despondent, that's because conservatives need to face facts: it will be next to impossible to save higher ed from its leftist overlords, and to reclaim it for the ordinary Americans who it is supposed to serve, if all we employ is half measures. My advice to conservatives, therefore, is, in the meantime, to vote with their feet: simply don't attend, and don't advise your friends and family to attend, the wokest colleges and universities. And my advice to Governor DeSantis would be similar: if a given college or university in the Florida public higher ed system repeatedly and flagrantly violates its mandate or disrespects the values of the people of Florida, cut it loose! Let it ply its Marxist idiocies freely as a private institution, but don't waste a single cent of taxpayers' money subsidizing its subversive ravings. (Florida's "Stop Woke Act", HB7, starts down this path, but does not go nearly far enough.)
And that, I suspect, is the only realistic path to reclaiming American higher ed: starve it of students, starve it of public funds, and starve it of attention and legitimacy, unless and until it rediscovers the love of learning and the respect for real diversity of opinion that were its founding principles. I won't hold my breath, but, as a denizen of higher ed myself, I will never give up hope.
In other news, here's a good analysis of the Senate races that are likely to determine which party will control that chamber after January 2023. Most experts say that a Republican takeover in the House is a foregone conclusion, but the Senate hangs in the balance and is where the fiercest battles will be fought.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2022/06/09/a_senate_paradox_in_three_acts_147718.html
The economic skies are darkening, but when exactly we will slip into recession territory is unclear. As bad as things seem in 2022, the consensus is that 2023 is likely to be even worse!
https://apnews.com/article/prices-business-mortgages-mortgage-rates-8a19f374e463e52379fc8e5b29f750cc
Finally, what do you think the reaction of the MSM would be if a crazed Trump supporter were to try to assassinate a leftist Supreme Court Justice, or Congressman, or Cabinet official? I dunno about you, but I strongly suspect they would be OUTRAGED, and they would beat that drum -- about how extreme and dangerous and inherently violent Republican rhetoric and ideology are -- for days, weeks, months, or years! And so, by contrast, what was the MSM's reaction to the recent plot against Justice Brett Kavanaugh, hatched by a mentally disturbed leftist (in other words, a regular leftist)? Crickets! That's what! For shame, "journalists", for shame.
Dr.Waddy from Jack: But some contrary to leftist doctrine in their Ca. state advanced apparent dictate, might be hesitant to comply! Yes!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: The "American" far left's ever, tactical byword is "by any means necessary". This convenient Marx originated license justifies ANYTHING but ANYTHING in furtherance of their inarguably just cause: the fundamental transformation of the fatally flawed US! Consequently, the illegal (and unaddressed by far left local officials) onslaught on the homes and the very persons of our yes, SUPREME Court, is just fine with them, though admittedly they cannot YET explicitly declare this. No matter: their beneath contempt far left subprofessional toadies, shills, apologists, in the MSM DEMONSTRATE it nonpareil in their, as you note, shamefully biased coverage of the physical threat to Justice Kavanaugh and his family. No mistaking their intent!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: Your wisely cited article on the Senate races underlines the reality that we must not assume the defeat of dem legislative evil in Nov. Two more years of Pino Biden and a dem senate could ruin our now fortuitous majority of lawful ScotusJustices. We must bear down and turn out. In military conflict it is often best to follow up on one's advantage.We ARE in a political war with the "American" far left! This Scotus advantage bodes much justice. It is VITAL to preserve it against far leftist destruction, which would enable commie takeover of Scotus. It is imperative that all in the real America vote against ALL dems at any level.!This, for the very preservation of our ways of life, against a contemptuous and determined to be totalitarian, far left completely infiltrated, dem party!
ReplyDeleteJack, that is of course true: tens of millions of leftists quietly celebrate the physical threats that conservative Justices and politicians face. The subtext of many of Biden/Schumer/Pelosi's comments in these situations is that, by our words and actions, we right-wingers INVITE violence upon us. As you say, they don't yet feel entirely comfortbale unleashing carnage on the right, but to complete their project that day must come. They want us to shut up. Ultimately, the only way to achieve this is to MAKE US.
ReplyDeleteQuire right: control of the Senate would allow us GREATLY to limit the amount of damage that Biden and pals can do. Failure to take the Senate runs the risk that if, God forbid, someone should succeed in assassinating one or more Justices, in the blink of an eye we would find ourselves at the mercy of a leftist administration freed of all judicial restraint.
Dr.Waddy from Jack: You have to wonder about how the intense stress of this illegal onslaught on the very living space of the Justices is effecting the Justices and their families. Its alot to ask, especially of young children ,to endure this outrage. Is it possible the radicals are hoping to force a resignation or two, which would give far left cadre running the Executive branch a chance to seat more of their own on Scotus? The Justices may well greatly resent the failure of the Executive branch to enforce Federal law; surely the proximity of the presumptuous dancers, drum bangers and stentorian chanters to Justice Kavanaugh's house is close enough to constitute violation of Federal law proscribing the same in order to effect judicial decision making. The remedy?? Bring the full force of the law against these anarchists!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: When we get a GOP House, let it make haste to make very formal inquiry, including subpoenas and possible criminal recommendations, for inciting personal confrontation of individually named Scotus justices (eg Senate Majority Leader Schumer himself, calling for the same) for judicial decisions disapproved of by the radicals. Obviously the "American" left, despite its loss of Scotus as a reliable rubber stamp for only its intentions, yet considers Scotus a quasi legislative branch, with, conveniently ,only 9 appointed votes on monumental issues. That Scotus is now commanded by ethical jurists who rightfully see their duty to be scrupulous interpretation of previously and appropriately promulgated LAW, is beyond their ken! They reflexively see only in it injustice! Their remedy? Why dilute the court to their liking! Since they believe themselves unquestionably just, by their lights this would be by definition right and proper. We cannot dissuade such ignorant bigots; we must politically disempower them!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good question, Jack. These protests may embolden the Justices, or they may ultimately cow them. A lot depends on how long they last, and how violent they become. If I were a Justice, I'd assume the present ruckus is a foretaste, and things can and will get worse.
ReplyDeleteI doubt if hearings will do much to convince the Left to change course on anything. Now, electoral comeuppance might. Then again, the proximity, as they see it, of a second term for Trump might cause the Left to greatly expand its use of intimidation and violence. All cards are on the table, sadly.