Florida’s Culture War Strategy: Restricting Academic Freedom to Further Marginalize Sexual Minorities

• In Event: Curricular Control: Against Marginalized Communities

Abstract

As parental rights in education surrounding the discussion, representation and inclusion of minorities in schools across the nation becomes a key political issue, the Florida legislature has repeatedly moved to target sexual minorities, often by imposing a pall of orthodoxy over schools and universities. This paper detials Florida’s efforts to erase and oppress sexual minorities, among others, primarily by limiting academic freedom, violating the First and 14th Amendments to the Constitution.

For brevity, I omitted discussions of a nationwide strategy, Florida’s history of persecuting sexual minorities, how FL legislators repeatedly pass bills “to protect children,” only to later expand restrictions to adults, and more in-depth conclusions. I will expand the paper to include bills passed in 2024 before presenting.

Author

• Amber Danielle Hatch, University of Florida