Florida Gov. Scott Wants to Eliminate Anthropology Majors

Monday, October 17, 2011
While declaring the need to get more students to study science and engineering, Florida Governor Rick Scott said he would like to shift state funding away from some degree programs, such as anthropology.
 
“If I’m going to take money from a citizen to put into education then I’m going to take that money to create jobs,” Scott said in an interview with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “So I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state. Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists? I don’t think so.”
 
Later, during a radio interview with “The Marc Bernier Show,” he added of anthropology majors: “It’s a great degree if people want to get it. But we don’t need them here.”
 
The American Anthropological Association did not appreciate Scott’s remarks, and has requested a meeting with the governor.
 
“It is very unfortunate that you would characterize our discipline in such a short-sighted way...,” the association said in a letter. “Perhaps you are unaware that anthropologists are leaders in our nation’s top science fields, making groundbreaking discoveries in areas as varied as public health, human genetics, legal history, bilingualism, the African American heritage, and infant learning.”
 
Florida GOP vs. Social Science (by Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed)

Scott: Florida Doesn't Need More Anthropology Majors (by Michael C. Bender, St. Petersburg Times) 

Comments

Sofia 12 years ago
unbelievable! sounds to me like another fool in office. anthropology is not just a major it is the study of human kind!!!! it is the study of what makes us who we are among many other significant components. understanding our ways through learning of the past is so precious and its importance should not be lessened by someone who clearly has no appreciation for anything besides money and achieving political success through possibly unfair methods. truly disappointed; regardless, i look forward to majoring in anthropology. :d
Tom Lowe 12 years ago
i have a ba in anthropology from ucsd and a ms in petroleum engineering from ut-austin, both with honors. i have made at least ten times more money with the anthro degree than i have with the advanced engineering degree, and have 25 years of tax records on hand backing up that statement. rick scott is an ignorant idiot who, like nearly all of our other 'leaders'--all worthless--needs taken out behind the woodshed as soon as possible and left by the roadside of history along with all the others.
Dr. Crow 12 years ago
i guess gov. scott needs a clear link to money to support a student's intellectual pursuits. he should be reminded of the salvage of the spanish treasure galleon "atocha" in florida waters which yielded $400+ million of booty, a great part of which went to the state of florida. anthropologists aided in that discovery/recovery by contributing research in the libraries of spain concerning the location of the ship and in the techniques used to do as complete a recovery of artifacts as possible. this is just one example of anthropologists' contribution to the good of florida, the us, and an understanding of human history. i'm disappointed that someone in a position of power like the governor would choose to target a viable, interesting, and useful occupation like anthropology for such criticism. his remarks obviously spring from his personal ignorance of the field. he would benefit from taking at least an introductory course in the subject before spewing his lame opinions to the press. who is he to decide what's permissable in education or what occupations are acceptable in florida? the state is not his personal fiefdom after all.

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