It's Great to Be a Florida Gator (Unless you are Jeb Bush)

First of all, the University of Florida is the greatest university in the world. Regardless of your position on anything else in this post, I think we can all agree on that.

A couple of weeks ago, the UF Faculty Senate took the rare step of denying an honorary degree - to former Florida governor (and First Brother) Jeb Bush. Some people think Jeb did a lot of good for education in Florida. 38 of 66 members of UF's Faculty Senate think he screwed it all up. So they dissed him, the Republican legislators, and UF's President (who is trying to make nice with the Legislature to get some funding or something or other).

So now a Republican-controlled Florida House of Representatives committee on something on other (again, be amazed by my attention to detail) approved a bill to rename UF's College of Education... wait for it... The Jeb Bush College of Education! They thought up the idea "as an answer" to Jeb's honary degree snub. The bill would require UF to "erect suitable markers" promoting the new name and change all catalogues, brochures, and university documents. Word from Jeb's camp is that he is honored but thinks buildings are best named for dead people.

Our basketball arena is already named for a Florida Supreme Court justice who wrote an opinion keeping a black student out of UF's law school. I haven't lived in Florida for a really long time, but Jeb couldn't have been that bad, could he have? Even if it turns out to be a big embarrassment for some people, it can't be worse than Florida State's school of circus performance in the middle of campus. But maybe the Florida Legislature can think of something more productive to do with their time than make petty statements as revenge against those who disagree with their politics. Maybe.

Comments

[Aeriale]

As a former UF COE student and Florida public school teacher, I must say that this is wrong- on so many levels! And I'm not even a Jeb hater. He actually grew on me over time. Unlike his brother, he has a functioning cerebrum. And, yes, perhaps the legislature could find some more productive things to do with their time.

[steven]

Thought this might drag you out of the snow to comment - politics involving a Bush, public education in the state of Florida, UF College of Education... it's got it all! Enjoy your last few weeks of tundra.