Why would an eminent scholar join New College? Ask Stanley Fish.

The big story: Stanley Fish is a storied academic who’s written at length about academic freedom.

Richard Corcoran, who’s heading the conservative remaking of New College of Florida, repeatedly has touted the scholar’s decision to join the school’s faculty. He has said the hire demonstrates that Republican state officials are not targeting student and professor freedoms, despite accusations otherwise.

What does Fish have to say about his decision? “What I can control is the kind of teaching I do, and of course I wouldn’t want to get engaged in a classroom experience if I felt that that classroom was being monitored for political or ideological reasons. But I’ve had no hint of any such monitoring in my discussions,” he told The Chronicle of Higher Education in a recent interview. Read more here.

Hot topics

Campus protests: Two Republican lawmakers filed legislation that would punish any state university student who “promotes” a foreign terrorist organization, News Service of Florida reports.

College naming: Trustees authorized renaming Tallahassee Community College, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Math lessons: Efforts to get more middle schoolers to take advanced math classes has created a new concern for some Florida educators: Many high school students are finishing their requirements early declining to take more math.

Prayer: A Collier County School Board member proposed having prayer to open board meetings, instead of a moment of silence. The idea didn’t get far, WGCU reports.

Recess: State Sen. Corey Simon stood by his proposal to return decisions about how schools offer recess to the local level, despite requests from several organizations not to change the state recess mandate, WJAX reports. The Senate’s package of education deregulation bills advanced through their first committee stop on Wednesday, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Safety and security: Hillsborough County commissioners unanimously agreed to allow cameras in school zones to catch speeders, WFLA reports. • Some Brevard County residents are unhappy with the idea of allowing armed teachers to serve as school guardians, WMFE reports. • Palm Beach County schools are poised to spend $4 million to cover non-impact windows with protective security film, WPTV reports.

School assignment: St. Lucie County students could find themselves assigned to different schools as district officials pursue an idea called “proximity zoning,” WPTV reports.

Student discipline: A Democratic state legislator has proposed adding restrictions to school use of corporal punishment, WFTV reports.

Teacher training: The University of Miami’s Teacher Accelerator Program is expanding into Miami-Dade College and Florida International University, the Miami Herald reports. It helps prepare students in non-education programs who wish to become teachers.

Weather report: Broward County schools are closed Thursday because of heavy rainfall and flooding, WPLG reports.

From the police blotter ... A Miami-Dade County high school band teacher was arrested on allegations of unlawful sexual activity with a minor student, the Miami Herald reports. • A Broward County elementary school teacher was arrested on child neglect charges after being accused of scratching a child, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Don’t miss a story. Yesterday’s roundup is just a click away.

Before you go ... You’re never too old to learn something new about physics.

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