The Postman Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 http://www.alligator.org/pt2/050323freedom.php Capitol bill aims to control ‘leftist’ profs THE LAW COULD LET STUDENTS SUE FOR UNTOLERATED BELIEFS. By JAMES VANLANDINGHAM Alligator Staff Writer TALLAHASSEE — Republicans on the House Choice and Innovation Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to pass a bill that aims to stamp out “leftist totalitarianism” by “dictator professors” in the classrooms of Florida’s universities. The Academic Freedom Bill of Rights, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, passed 8-to-2 despite strenuous objections from the only two Democrats on the committee. The bill has two more committees to pass before it can be considered by the full House. While promoting the bill Tuesday, Baxley said a university education should be more than “one biased view by the professor, who as a dictator controls the classroom,” as part of “a misuse of their platform to indoctrinate the next generation with their own views.” The bill sets a statewide standard that students cannot be punished for professing beliefs with which their professors disagree. Professors would also be advised to teach alternative “serious academic theories” that may disagree with their personal views. According to a legislative staff analysis of the bill, the law would give students who think their beliefs are not being respected legal standing to sue professors and universities. Students who believe their professor is singling them out for “public ridicule” – for instance, when professors use the Socratic method to force students to explain their theories in class – would also be given the right to sue. “Some professors say, ‘Evolution is a fact. I don’t want to hear about Intelligent Design (a creationist theory), and if you don’t like it, there’s the door,’” Baxley said, citing one example when he thought a student should sue. Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, warned of lawsuits from students enrolled in Holocaust history courses who believe the Holocaust never happened. Similar suits could be filed by students who don’t believe astronauts landed on the moon, who believe teaching birth control is a sin or even by Shands medical students who refuse to perform blood transfusions and believe prayer is the only way to heal the body, Gelber added. “This is a horrible step,” he said. “Universities will have to hire lawyers so our curricula can be decided by judges in courtrooms. Professors might have to pay court costs — even if they win — from their own pockets. This is not an innocent piece of legislation.” The staff analysis also warned the bill may shift responsibility for determining whether a student’s freedom has been infringed from the faculty to the courts. But Baxley brushed off Gelber’s concerns. “Freedom is a dangerous thing, and you might be exposed to things you don’t want to hear,” he said. “Being a businessman, I found out you can be sued for anything. Besides, if students are being persecuted and ridiculed for their beliefs, I think they should be given standing to sue.” During the committee hearing, Baxley cast opposition to his bill as “leftists” struggling against “mainstream society.” “The critics ridicule me for daring to stand up for students and faculty,” he said, adding that he was called a McCarthyist. Baxley later said he had a list of students who were discriminated against by professors, but refused to reveal names because he felt they would be persecuted. Rep. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, argued universities and the state Board of Governors already have policies in place to protect academic freedom. Moreover, a state law outlining how professors are supposed to teach would encroach on the board’s authority to manage state schools. “The big hand of state government is going into the universities telling them how to teach,” she said. “This bill is the antithesis of academic freedom.” But Baxley compared the state’s universities to children, saying the legislature should not give them money without providing “guidance” to their behavior. “Professors are accountable for what they say or do,” he said. “They’re accountable to the rest of us in society … All of a sudden the faculty think they can do what they want and shut us out. Why is it so unheard of to say the professor shouldn’t be a dictator and control that room as their totalitarian niche?” In an interview before the meeting, Baxley said “arrogant, elitist academics are swarming” to oppose the bill, and media reports misrepresented his intentions. “I expect to be out there on my own pretty far,” he said. “I don’t expect to be part of a team.” This is just sickening. "The Academic Freedom Bill of Rights," what a fucking misnomer - another case of the conservative right slamming the word "freedom" where it doesn't belong in along run of consistent abuse of the noble word. Whatever happened to simply debating an idea or I don't know, just disagreeing? Suing a professor because you don't believe in evolution is the intellectual coward's way out for people without the mental capacity to hold a real argument. It is time for the so-called "Left" to rise up and face some real challenges here. We've been real doormats lately and it's time to look these ugly brutes in the face and say "Enough is enough." For the sake of our country and the mind's of future generations, it is imperative that we do so. Besides, aren't Republicans supposed to be for tort reform anyways?
FrieChamp Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 Next thing you know is they'll forbid to teach the theory of evolution and that the earth spins around the sun.
JynxDaddy Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 What? What are you saying friechamp, that doesnt make sense, in the bible it says the moon is the center of the universe and the earth revolves around the moon, and the sun is jesus and god looking out of their penthouse balcony.
DaanO Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 Hah would be cool if some medical students graduated that believe prayer is the only way to cure the body, and refuse to learn about other ways. Way to go Florida.
Pericolos0 Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 “Some professors say, ‘Evolution is a fact. I don’t want to hear about Intelligent Design (a creationist theory), and if you don’t like it, there’s the door,’” Baxley said, citing one example when he thought a student should sue. I really want to know where this whole idea of intelligent design being a valid scientific theory all came from
DaanO Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 Well, i don't think it is a valid scientific theory, but who says things have to be scientifically proven to be true.
SonicDM Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 i would say things that have been scientifically proven hold a shitload more water in the true department to me.
The Postman Posted March 24, 2005 Author Report Posted March 24, 2005 Well, i don't think it is a valid scientific theory, but who says things have to be scientifically proven to be true. Believe what you want, but it has no place in a science classroom.
DaanO Posted March 24, 2005 Report Posted March 24, 2005 I was gonna say that yes, so i can only agree with you.
babaganush Posted April 22, 2005 Report Posted April 22, 2005 I wonder if Baxley would support legislation that allows left-leaning students to sue their catholic schools for making them love jesus.
jimius Posted April 22, 2005 Report Posted April 22, 2005 "According to a legislative staff analysis of the bill, the law would give students who think their beliefs are not being respected legal standing to sue professors and universities. " If you're in a university, I hope you know that it's the place of science, facts and theories. Religion has little place in all of this. Teachers teach the accepted theories and proven facts. And if someone disagrees they should back it up, not sue. But then again, i'm not surprised to see this happening in the one country in the world where this can happen. Wait, they probly have a law like this too in Iran.
Section_Ei8ht Posted April 22, 2005 Report Posted April 22, 2005 I wonder if Baxley would support legislation that allows left-leaning students to sue their catholic schools for making them love jesus. nuff said.
DD Posted June 17, 2005 Report Posted June 17, 2005 Many ridiculous laws like this pass through the US goverment relying on the last hope to shut it down, Supreme Court. Unfortunately the republicans are about to control all branches of the goverment which could be catastrophic. http://hnn.us/articles/1780.html I'm not saying democrats or any other political party is any better, just saying a communist like Government in America would be official.
The Postman Posted June 20, 2005 Author Report Posted June 20, 2005 Many ridiculous laws like this pass through the US goverment relying on the last hope to shut it down, Supreme Court. Unfortunately the republicans are about to control all branches of the goverment which could be catastrophic. http://hnn.us/articles/1780.html I'm not saying democrats or any other political party is any better, just saying a communist like Government in America would be official. That's the problem with democracies, they always vote themelves out of democracy.
mike-0 Posted July 9, 2005 Report Posted July 9, 2005 Well, i don't think it is a valid scientific theory, but who says things have to be scientifically proven to be true. If they're not proven, then there has to be another side to the arguement.
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