The Heritage Foundation, a wealthy right-wing think tank, has recently released a comprehensive plan outlining how the next Republican president will use the executive branch of the federal government to attack the rights of women, LGBTQ individuals, and black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC). The plan in question calls for dismantling the offices and agencies in charge of upholding civil rights laws and staffing the federal government with right-wing ideologues.
So what does this mean for you? Well, to start, the Heritage Foundation assembled a broad coalition of more than 90 conservative organizations to create this plan. These organizations are comprised of organizations that have led attacks against #MeToo campaigns, gender studies, the Equal Rights Amendment, and reproductive rights.
Their primary objective relates to what they refer to as “the totalitarian cult known today as ‘The Great Awokening’.” They specifically draw attention to the “woke-dominated system of public schools and universities” in particular (whatever that means). Moreover, The Department of Education is described as a “convenient one-stop shop for the woke education cartel.”
The Heritage Foundation notes a particular hostility toward public colleges and universities, branding them as an “establishment captured by woke ‘diversicrats’ and a de facto monopoly enforced by the federal accreditation cartel.” If you’re experiencing an unsettling sense of déjà vu, it’s because Project 2025’s terminology and implications are eerily similar to the recent curriculum changes at FSU. These changes have occurred as a result of the recent education legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis earlier this year. The shared emphasis on redirecting educational priorities towards “employable majors” and away from “niche subjects” is not just a distant prospect outlined in Project 2025; it’s a reality we are witnessing unfold in real-time as we have seen subject areas like sociology and gender studies ripped from our curriculum.
Densantis’ recently implemented SB 266 bill echoes the same goals of remaking the ideological landscape of higher education, and the Heritage Foundation’s criticism of the “woke education cartel” is in line with these thoughts. Moreover, SB 266 limits topics related to racism, sexism, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from general education classes and even goes as far as to ban the teaching of critical race theory. The shocking parallel is clear. There is a deliberate and collective effort by our policymakers to redefine the nature and focus of education at FSU and other public universities.
As FSU students, it is crucial to understand that Project 2025, should it come to be, can deepen and worsen the changes in our educational environment that we have just recently started to witness. Furthermore, the changes that have been started by recent legislative acts may only be the tip of the iceberg. Project 2025 appears to be a force that could tighten the grip on these transitions, multiplying their impact on our educational experience as we know it.
Potentially most horrifying is that the writers of “The Conservative Promise” declare their support for equality but also call for the elimination of key government organizations that oversee laws such as Title VII and Title IX. For students to make complaints of sex discrimination, including allegations of sexual harassment or sexual violence, schools are required by Title IX to establish and share complaint procedures.
For students at Florida State, this has the impact of less or even no funding toward combating and eliminating sexual and racial discrimination on campus. The effects might also affect laws dealing with important topics like gender-based violence and sexual harassment, raising questions about how to protect students’ rights and welfare in the classroom. The disturbing reality is that Florida State University’s ability to protect students from sexual assault and discrimination lingers in the face of these anticipated policy changes.
It is beyond frightening to think about what this could entail for us as students.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!