Rick Scott Says Florida Does Not Need More Anthropology Majors, Daughter Holds Degree In Field

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Monday in an interview with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that the state does not need more anthropologists. As it turns out, his daughter has a degree in anthropology.

"Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists? I don’t think so," Scott said. He told the Sarasota paper that he wants to shift funding to science, technology and math departments, and away from departments like psychology and 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," he said. "So I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state."

Virginia Dominiguez, president of the American Anthropological Association said in a letter to Scott, "It's very unfortunate that you would characterize our discipline in such a short-sighted way." She added, "Perhaps you are unaware that anthropologists are leaders in our nation's top science fields."

Scott's daughter, Jordan Kandah, holds an undergraduate anthropology degree from the College of William & Mary. She was a special education teacher before enrolling in an M.B.A. program.

Scott's spokesman told Tampa Bay Online that the governor was not criticizing anthropologists but wanted to highlight the demand for college graduates with science, technology, engineering and math degrees.

Comments

[stefan dangelo]

07:54 AM on 11/06/2011

Great civilizations are not only known for their technology, they are also known for their art and cultural achievements. Scott would eliminate the social sciences, art, language, music and every other non-business field of study. He would have America remembered for what? The atom bomb drawn in stick figures described in bad sentences ... Maybe he thinks America should not go down in History as an advanced civilization ,, after all, History would also be cut from the degree listing.

[Jason Shields]

12:00 PM on 11/04/2011

It's great to hear that Jordan Kandah was able to overcome such a disadvantage as being Rick Scott's daughter and be able to earn a degree at a very rigorous school. Kudos to you!

[dbrett480]

07:32 PM on 10/15/2011

I am surprised so many people are criticizing him. Every expert in the higher education field agrees that the focus needs to be put on science and technology. Heck even Obama says the exact same thing. The only difference is that Scott is putting the money where his mouth is.

[OH72]

06:06 PM on 10/26/2011

I frankly don't know any expect who claims that, because said expert would have disqualified himself with such a comment - theory of science is a discipline of philosophy, and as such, science wouldn't be able to work without philosophy. It is providing the tools science applies for collecting evidence.
Totally aside from that fact, English majors are highly sought after by non-native speaker scientists as technical editors to improve the chance of their manuscripts being accepted by an English-language academic journal.

what you're claiming is that in order to ensure mobility, you need drivers, not mechanics, where anyone with half a brain recognizes that the drivers would only get so far without mechanics keeping them going.

And I say that as a PhD in sciences

[ZeraLee]

07:26 PM on 10/14/2011

The College of William & Mary has an anthropology program? Really?

[lovesean3]

06:20 PM on 10/14/2011

I have a BA in English Literature and am about to start grad school in this field. I can almost guarantee that I can write the pants off of any business or mathematician major out there who needs to somehow produce his findings. Give me a break, they can't do it without us and we can't do it without them. Categorizing one major as more important than another is idiotic and futile.

[white dude lulz]

06:47 PM on 10/17/2011

You should break the sentence "Give me a break, they can't do it without us and we can't do it without them" into two sentences, as it is a run-on sentence in its current form. The clauses "Give me a break," "they can't do it without us," and "we can't do it without them" are all independent clauses. Thus, it would be more appropriate to punctuate the sentence as follows: "Give me a break. They can't do it without us, and we can't do it without them."
On an unrelated note, I have a B.S. in physics.

[lovesean3]

09:59 PM on 10/17/2011

Also, your response isn't grammatically sound either. But I like the hypocrisy.

[Andrew Harvey]

03:17 AM on 10/19/2011

Good, then you won't need my help filling our your application for food stamps when you get out of college.

The business world does not need long flowing brilliantly crafted language, unless you're a fiction writer.

Bullet points work better than complete sentences, and math skills never go out of style.

[OH72]

02:15 AM on 10/27/2011

Shows what you know about business.

Here's a hint: Your slides aren't your presentation. They're merely a visualization. If youz believe bullet points is all you need, you're a blight on your co-workers and should be tried for crimes against humanity for making people listen to you speaking....

[Vampy1]

10:53 AM on 10/14/2011

we do need more trade jobs....

[clearthinker2008]

09:34 AM on 10/15/2011

Really, to do or make what?

[Garioch]

12:10 PM on 10/15/2011

To redo the entire infrastructure of the nation. Granted nobody seems willing to do it but it would be a fantastic thing to start on. Train people with proper apprenticeships, pay them a real wage and start them rebuilding all the infrastructure in the U.S. that's falling apart after decades of inattention from private companies looking at short term profits instead of trying to build and rebuild a first class structure everything else can be built on.
Then start training people in all the other trades properly so that you actually have people who can plaster and not just board and tape, plumbers who can do the job without asking the homeowner if they know how to do it etc.
A return to people who knew how to do their jobs and not people who picked up a pointless bit of paper at a for profit college and only know how to take out that bit and put a new one in... if you're lucky.

[Vampy1]

06:36 PM on 10/15/2011

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/dirtyjobs/mike-rowe-senate-testimony.html

[itolduso]

09:51 AM on 10/14/2011

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math......are definately important tools for our Nation's progress........but 'tools' can be very dangerous indeed when you lack the understanding of how humanity is affected by them

[MarvinM]

04:03 PM on 10/14/2011

It's all important. That's the point of a liberal arts education. Preparing someone who will take a specialization, but will still have a broad base of other knowledge. That's what makes people who have a liberal arts education effective members of their community - because they have a broad background and can relate to the widest possible spectrum of opinion that they can. And they tend to be active.

[clearthinker2008]

09:37 AM on 10/15/2011

Everybody can't be a engineer and the minute they can bring folks over from India to do those jobs for less pay American engineers are going to be marching on wallstreet...wait, that's already happening.

People should always be able to choose what they want to be, not forced into something just because a gov decides that we need "more" of something. All students.

[oldsoldierboy]

07:45 AM on 10/14/2011

Rick Scott doesn't want competition for his daughter in this field. What a crook. Everything this guy does is for the benefit of those around him.

[roscoewpa]

12:42 AM on 10/14/2011

Whats with guys names Rick? We have Rick scott, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum advice parents dont name your kids Rick the name is a curse.

[white dude lulz]

06:54 PM on 10/17/2011

I'm Rick James, B!+(h!

[stefan dangelo]

07:45 AM on 11/06/2011

Well.. they call themselves Roick bedause they don't wat the other nickname for Richard which is Dick. Even if it is more descriptive.

[LiberalLee]

10:58 PM on 10/13/2011

Perhaps this is Scott's way of acknowledging his Tea/GOPea compatriots dislike of the Theory of Evolution.
What better way to drive it into the background than to stop encouraging those piecing together humanity's family tree?

[Oonagh]

08:38 PM on 10/13/2011

What Florida does not need is a fraudster... Scott is trying very hard to make himself look better but that is never going to happen.. some that voted for him now understand what he is and would never vote for him again... no, I did not vote for him, you had to have your head dug deep in the sand to vote for him... says a lot about Florida voters.

[TJ Logan]

07:14 PM on 10/13/2011

Oh Rick!

“Let us not forget that Rick Scott headed one of the largest criminal enterprise­s in the USA before it was caught for stealing hundreds of millions from Medicare. He was chairman and CEO of HCA.

In 1997, investigat­ors from the FBI, and the Internal Revenue Service served search warrants at Columbia/H­CA facilities in El Paso and on dozens of doctors with suspected ties to the company.

Following the raids, the Columbia/H­CA board of directors forced Scott to resign as Chairman and CEO. He was paid $9.88 million in a settlement­. He also left owning 10 million shares of stock worth over $350 million for his support of HCA's criminal activity.

In settlement­s reached in 2000 and 2002, HCA plead guilty to 14 felonies and agreed to a $600+ million fine in the largest fraud settlement in US history. HCA admitted systematic­ally overchargi­ng the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursab­le, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. They also admitted fraudulent­ly billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousnes­s of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnershi­ps in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. In addition, they gave doctors "loans" never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies­.

Now this guy really knows how to create jobs - but there all jobs for criminals.”

[sindurrella]

06:14 PM on 10/13/2011

How many more days does he have to ruin a once great state before he can be voted into oblivion?

[metogamekun]

06:10 PM on 10/13/2011

No support for the humanities in this inhumane age.

[BannedFromCommenting]

05:53 PM on 10/13/2011

Can't wait for the Thanksgiving Day table! Daughter/Dad eye contact? Zero!

[metogamekun]

06:04 PM on 10/13/2011

I had the exact same thought! Awkward.