What Triggered Governor Scott's War On Anthropology?

Background

Gov. Rick Scott fired the first shots in a war on anthropology in October, when the Gov. singled out the field as an inefficient use of higher education budgets.

Scott asked a business group in Tallahassee why taxpayers should foot the education bill for an anthropologist who can’t find a job? He said colleges should redirect public university funds into science, technology, engineering or math, or STEM programs.

“I got accused of not liking anthropology,” Scott said. “But just think about it: How many more jobs do you think there is for anthropology in this state? Do you want to use your tax dollars to educate more people who can’t get jobs? I want to make sure that we spend our money where people can get jobs when they get out.”

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January 10, 2012

Gov. Scott Makes Anthropology Joke in Speech

The one truly funny moment during Gov. Rick Scott’s State of the State speech came when he referenced his much-publicized spat with anthropologists earlier this year. In arguing for the need to better match college graduates with open jobs, Scott cited anthropologists as a degree Florida probably didn’t need any more of. In Tuesday’s speech […]

November 29, 2011

When Governor Scott Tests Universities, Universities Do Their Homework

When Governor Rick Scott asked the state’s 11 public universities to prove their worth to him, the universities responded to the challenge. The Governor asked the schools to answer 17 questions that he says will help him craft higher education reform. And those schools have been turning in their answers. The Sun Sentinel reports the University of […]

November 14, 2011

Which College Graduates Are Unemployed?

Gov. Rick Scott is stoking his feud with social scientists, adding some data to his argument that state universities should push more students toward degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, fields. Scott’s press office sent around a link to a Wall Street Journal collection of unemployment rates by college major. The database […]

October 28, 2011

Feedback Loop: Anthropology 101

Our story last week looking at Bureau of Labor Statistics data in the wake of Gov. Rick Scott’s criticism of anthropology majors generated more conversation than anything else we’ve done at StateImpact Florida. Anthromajor, expressing the majority opinion, said the skills learned are not the domain of tweedy eggheads and translate to business: I am […]

October 24, 2011

Gov. Scott Not Apologizing to Anthropologists

Florida Governor Rick Scott is still answering questions after he suggested Florida colleges and universities should get less funding for social science programs, and more funding for science, engineering, technology and math programs, or STEM fields. Scott told a Miami radio station that he’s related to the angriest anthropologist he’s heard from so far. With Halloween […]

October 21, 2011

Why Gov. Rick Scott’s Anthropology Claims Are in Good Company

Yesterday we wrote about how federal data shows anthropologists’ job prospects are better than Florida Gov. Rick Scott believes. That got us thinking about other recent examples of politicians misquoting data or using data that does not support the point they are trying to make. The highest-profile example came from Arizona Republican Sen. John Kyl […]

October 20, 2011

Explaining Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s War On Anthropology (And Why Anthropologists May Win)

It’s been a rough week for anthropologists with Gov. Rick Scott singling out the field as an inefficient use of higher education budgets. Why should taxpayers foot the education bill for an anthropologist who can’t find a job? Scott asked a business group last week. Colleges should “drive” students into science, technology, engineering or math […]