Florida’s public university system has launched a broad review of textbooks used across its institutions to identify content deemed anti-Israel or antisemitic. The unprecedented initiative follows an outcry over a test at Florida International University (FIU) that critics say contained anti-Israel bias.
The controversy erupted after an FIU student posted excerpts from a Homeland Security course exam on social media. The questions included historical inaccuracies, such as referring to Palestine as a state before Israel’s establishment and implying that Zionist militias initiated terrorism in the region.
One multiple-choice question asked students to complete the sentence: “Terrorism began with two Zionist organizations, the Irgun Zvai Leumi and...” with answer choices including the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Stern Gang, Hamas or Fatah. Another question asked, “When Israelis engage in terrorism, they often refer to it as...” with the correct answer listed as “self-defense.”
The exam’s content sparked outrage among Florida lawmakers, particularly Republican congressional candidate Randy Fine, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Fine, who is expected to replace Rep. Mike Waltz following his appointment as national security adviser, called for the removal of the course textbook, Terrorism and Homeland Security, from Florida’s higher education system. Fine, who refers to himself as “the Jewish Hammer” and has faced antisemitic threats over his pro-Israel stance, said the exam was clear evidence of dangerous anti-Israel bias in academia.
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The textbook, first published in 2005 by terrorism expert Jonathan White, has been used in multiple editions over the years. White, who previously conducted counterterrorism training under Republican administrations, does not make the contested claims in the book itself. However, in response to the controversy, publisher Cengage Group announced it is halting sales of the book pending a full review of its content.
Fine also called for the dismissal of FIU professor Mario Reyes, who taught the course but was not the author of the disputed exam questions. Reyes, a former U.S. Marine and current Pentagon employee specializing in criminal justice, remains a non-tenured lecturer at FIU. The university clarified that he did not write the exam questions, which were developed by an external content provider hired by the publisher.
In a statement, Cengage acknowledged that the questions “did not meet our standards” and confirmed they, along with the textbook, are undergoing a comprehensive academic review to ensure they are free of bias.
In response to the public backlash, Florida’s State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues announced a system-wide review of instructional materials across all 12 public universities. The review includes an assessment of textbooks, syllabi and supplementary course materials related to Israel, Zionism, Judaism, Palestinians and Palestine, with committees established to identify and address potential bias in academic content.
Rodrigues said the current controversy has exposed a broader issue beyond alleged antisemitic or anti-Israel material. “We assumed that every question posed to students was reviewed by a faculty member first,” Rodrigues said. “What we’ve learned is that’s not how it works.”
He said he is now working with state lawmakers to introduce a new regulation requiring faculty members to certify that they have personally reviewed all course materials, including textbooks and supplementary readings, before assigning them to students. “We assumed this was already happening,” Rodrigues said. “It turns out we were wrong.”
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Leading academic organizations, including the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the largest U.S. organization representing higher education faculty, have denounced Florida’s move, calling it an attempt at “thought policing” that deepens what they describe as the state’s authoritarian approach to higher education.
The American Academy for Jewish Studies also criticized the initiative, warning it undermines academic freedom and disproportionately targets instructors teaching Jewish studies and related fields.
Within Florida’s universities, the review has sparked backlash from faculty members and academic freedom advocates, who argue the process is politicizing higher education. Critics point out that the sweeping investigation was launched based solely on a handful of screenshots circulated on social media, rather than a comprehensive academic review. They argue that defining course material as “anti-Israel” is inherently subjective and that an effort explicitly aimed at uncovering antisemitic content is bound to find it—whether or not it actually exists.
The controversy unfolds amid broader efforts by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to tighten oversight of the state’s education system, part of his push against what he sees as left-leaning bias in higher education. Since Oct. 7, 2023, these efforts have intensified, with DeSantis vowing to be “the most pro-Israel governor in America.” He has pressured universities to dismantle groups with ties to Students for Justice in Palestine following pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.