The Missouri State House of representatives has passed an "intellectual diversity" act designed to preserve "intellectual diversity" at state universities and colleges. This certainly sounds like a laudable goal. That is, until one reads the actual language of the act, which mandates that schools take steps to "include intellectual diversity concerns in the institution's guidelines on teaching and program development and such concerns shall include but not be limited to the protection of religious freedom including the viewpoint that the Bible is inerrant." (my emphasis)
The bill provides that schools disseminate "best practices to ensure that conflicts between personal beliefs and classroom assignments that may contradict such beliefs can be resolved in a manner that achieves educational objectives without requiring a student to act against his or her conscience" or students and faculty may be able to take legal action.
Think about this. It means that a biology professor who teaches evolution could be sued if he does not also teach "creationism." How about the astronomy professor who teaches that the universe is more than six thousand years old? Same story. How about the women's studies professor who teaches about discrimination against women? That would doubtless offend the belief that the husband is the head of the woman ("But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:3). Thus political science classes must give equal time to the inerrancy of this particular scriptural passage.
Unsurprisingly, this whole mess arose from a student feeling that her homophobic beliefs were disrespected in a social work class. While the particular school of social work in question has been exposed for having systemic problems independent of this student complaint, the base issue that the legislature is addressing will add the requirement that homophobia and non-scientific, religious views of gender and sexual orientation be taught in all university classes regardless of scientific evidence or opposing personal, non-religious viewpoints of other students.
The Inside Higher Education article includes comments from the American Association of University Professors that correctly observes that this law, if passed, would convert the system of secular education in Missouri into religious schools:
[Cary] Nelson, of the AAUP, said that it was "particularly remarkable that the bill includes belief in the literal truth of the Bible under the heading of intellectual diversity." He added that "requirements for balance in the curriculum and respect for intellectual diversity, in hiring, and in public speeches on the campus — coupled with reporting requirements — effectively mean that Missouri would no longer have any system
of secular public higher education. Missouri's fine universities would become religious schools if this bill were to be approved by the Senate."
Similar laws are reported to be pending several states. They are part of David Horowitz' pernicious attack on universities that has the goal of injecting political control over scientific and academic inquiry. Thinly disguised as "academic diversity" these initiatives in fact are designed to prevent free academic inquiry and discussion. They are part of the continuing, coordinated right-wing attack on free expression and science.
I apologize if there is a prior diary on this – I did search and did not find anything.
ADDED: it turns out there is a prior diary here by
Frederick Clarkson.
Additional note: There is some case law to suggest that a challenge to this proposed law would be successful, assuming that SCOTUS adheres to precedent. Thanks to Dem Partisan for this reference.