Florida’s college students deserve an education shaped by scholars, not politicians.

Recently, a 669-page introductory sociology textbook was cut down to 267 pages after review by the state’s higher education system. Entire chapters and major sections were removed, including material related to racism, genocide, inequality, race and ethnicity, social stratification, and gender.

Professors say the edits were made to comply with a 2023 state law restricting certain general education content. Florida State University has since made the revised version mandatory for its introductory sociology course.

No matter where you fall politically, this should concern you.

College students are adults. They deserve a full, rigorous education guided by qualified faculty and subject-matter experts — not curriculum decisions shaped by lawmakers or political appointees. Academic standards should be set through transparent processes grounded in scholarship, not behind closed doors.

This threatens Florida’s public universities' academic independence and intellectual integrity. Universities exist precisely to protect the open exchange of ideas, evidence-based teaching, and honest engagement with history and society — even when topics are complex or uncomfortable.

We call on the Florida Board of Governors to restore textbook and curriculum decisions to faculty and academic experts and to ensure that political interference has no place in Florida’s public university classrooms.

Florida’s students deserve an education built on scholarship, transparency, and trust — not politics.