Florida Argues in Court It Is Free to Censor or Control State-School Professors’ Academic Freedom in Classrooms
15 June 2024 | FlaglerLive.in
The state of Florida is free to forbid college professors from criticizing the governor in the classroom, an attorney argued on behalf of the state during an appellate court hearing over the Stop Woke Act — adding that those professors are free to seek work elsewhere if they don’t like a legislature-controlled curriculum.
Academic freedom and when the government can insert itself into the classroom were focal points for a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit panel consisting of judges Charles Wilson, appointed by former President Bill Clinton; and Britt Grant and Barbara Lagoa; both appointed by former President Donald Trump.
That response came from Charles Cooper, representing the state, during oral arguments Friday.
“Yes, because in the classroom, the professor’s speech is the government’s speech, and the government can restrict professors on a content-wide basis and restrict them from offering viewpoints that are contrary to … ,” Cooper said before one of the judges interrupted him…