Republicans vs Higher Education
Demonstrations broke out on the University of Florida campus this week, as the University of Florida announced that Republican Senator Ben Sasse was the only finalist in their search for a new president. Prior to becoming a Senator, Sasse was the president at Midland University in Nebraska and taught at the University of Texas.
The protests circulated Ben Sasse’s history of homophobia and aversion to abortion rights. Following the Supreme Court’s historic 2015 decision to legalize same sex marriage federally, Sasse is quoted calling the desicion “a disappointment.” This homophobic rhetoric caused students to revisit the University’s homophobic history. Sasse purports to be a moderate Republican, and voted for former president, Donald Trump’s, impeachment. Despite this, he remains firmly aligned with conservative views and still values the sanctity of marriage as one of his political priorities. In recent years, UF has ascended academically and appears to be entering a new chapter of education. Needless to say, a top five public university appointing a blatant homophobe as president is an attack on education and student safety.
In addition to being anti-LGBTQ+, Sasse is also pro-life. At the top of his abortion page on his website, it says “Americans Don’t Want This Kind of Pro-Abortion Radicalism.” This right-wing, anti-woman perspective does not set up a balanced or safe learning environment.
Universities are a sanctuary for students of all kinds, especially large universities in liberal cities. Florida is supposed to be a safe space for a diverse group of students, with a comfortable environment to grow and learn. An anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ+ conservative senator is not the person to reflect those ideas. On the University of Florida’s student-led news site “The Independent Florida Alligator,” several articles have been published talking with students about the decision to hire Sasse. One student voiced their concern about the decision by saying “I think that it's only going to get worse and be a more unwelcoming climate, which is very troubling given UF is increasing in rankings and trying to attract a diverse student body,”
Public political opinion is swinging rapidly. The younger generations are gradually becoming more progressive. We’ve seen the Republicans try to combat this fact by redistricting and suppressing minority voters. But they know that at some point, the only way to instill their views in youth is to invade education. It’s no coincidence that republicans tend to garner a greater percentage of votes from non-college graduates in popular elections. But as education progresses and the masses realize the lies, hypocrisy, and bigotry that drive the Republican party, they won’t be able to sustain political success. Their only option is to invade education, compromising the safety of students, and force their propaganda down the throats of youth. Education is the fabric of American life. Education holds the country together and allows us to operate based on fact, not conspiracy. If the Republican party continues to derail education, the future of America is in deep danger.
By Sawyer Sugarman