Democrats Fight Attempts To Have Balanced Teaching In Higher Education

Much has been written about the spending increases during the short tenure that Ben Sasse had as President of the University of Florida (UF). Of course, the outrage over his spending initiatives comes from Democrat leftists who constantly abuse Republicans over their lack of spending on education. One true axiom: If Democrats are upset about increases in spending, they are usually upset about more money for police or more money for unbiased education.

Kayla Bartsch of National Review has delved into the “spending scandal” at UF and uncovered the purpose behind the increases in spending. 

In 2022, UF established the Alexander Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education. This center was set up to be a center for top research and teaching in the Western Tradition.

This center was instituted by the Florida legislature with the backing of Governor DeSantis. The mantra of the center is to “educate university students in core texts and great debates of Western civilization and the Great Books … .and in the principles, ideals and institutions of the American political order.”

Years ago, such a center celebrating Western civilization would not have been necessary as most colleges and universities taught these ideals. Sadly, since crew cuts and hoop skirts went out of fashion, universities have been hiring faculty that  despised Western civilization. This has progressed in the past 20 years to the point that a professor who teaches Western values would find it nearly impossible to be hired at most universities. 

When Sasse took office at UF, he obtained $28 million additional funds for the Hamilton Center of which $10 million is recurring. The Hamilton Center, soon to be named the Hamilton College, is attracting top notch academics from around the country. 

Critics of Sasse are really upset that he brought in trusted advisors to help run the University of Florida. Just like Trump discovered, Sasse found out the bureaucrats are overwhelmingly leftist and they work diligently to frustrate any attempts by conservatives to have a balanced approach to teaching.

Critics of the Hamilton Center think it is radical to not impose an ideological leftist approach to teaching. Ben Sasse has helped give a strong footing to the Hamilton Center. For that he will absorb the firebombs of the leftist college mafia that hate the idea of a balanced approach to higher education.