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Season 6, Episode 31

Florida faculty fight back against academic restrictions

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Guest Name:


Teresa Hodge

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Dr. Teresa Hodge, President of the United Faculty of Florida (UFF), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing challenges faced by Florida institutions of higher education. Hodge addressed the potential impacts of Florida Senate Bill 266, the erosion of academic freedom and the politicization of university leadership.

Senate Bill 266, passed in 2023, has had far-reaching consequences for Florida's higher education system. Hodge explained how the legislation led State University System of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues to issue a directive to review course materials for anti-Semitic material and anti-Israeli bias. This directive, issued just before the fall semester, created chaos and confusion among faculty. The bill also removed sociology from the general education core curriculum, a move Hodge argues puts Florida students at a disadvantage.

The erosion of academic freedom is a growing concern for Florida's educators. Hodge highlighted how political overreach is reshaping academics, with course removals and restrictions on international collaborations. She emphasized that these changes hinder faculty's ability to teach and conduct research effectively, potentially driving talented educators out of the state. Hodge stressed the importance of allowing students to engage with challenging ideas and develop critical thinking skills.

Hodge discussed another troubling trend: the politicization of university leadership. She cited the appointment of underqualified individuals to university boards and presidencies. For example, Florida's Lieutenant Governor wants to become the interim president at Florida International University. These appointments, she argues, undermine the integrity of higher education institutions and prioritize political agendas over academic expertise.

To hear more about the challenges facing Florida's higher education system, listen to the full conversation with Hodge above.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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