Florida to Cuba Travel Ban

An interesting case, out of Florida:

WASHINGTON — A controversial Florida law that restricts state colleges and universities from traveling to Cuba and other "terrorist states" could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court for review.

The high court on Monday invited the Obama administration to file a brief, outlining the United States' stance on the 2006 law, which bars public schools and universities in Florida from using state money for travel to countries considered by the federal government to be "sponsors of terrorism" — Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the faculty at the University of South Florida, the University of Florida and Florida International University in March asked the high court to review the law — which was declared unconstitutional in 2008 by U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz in Miami — but upheld by a federal appeals court in September.

There was no word yet Monday on whether the U.S. solicitor general, who would file for the administration, would file in the case. But the ACLU said it was pleased the high court was "taking this seriously."

Essentially the ACLU is arguing that allowing Florida to prevent such travel is tantamount to permitting states to maintain their own foreign policy.  Supporters of the ban believe it is a way to ensure public dollars are not used to subside travel to terrorist countries -- Cuba included in that definition.

These types of academic exchanges are precise examples of positive ways our two countries can come together.  Public and private universities in Florida are some of the best places in the word for the study of Cuban history and culture, as well as housing historical archives and other documents related to modern-era Cuba.  Cutting them off from the ability to visit Cuba is no way to achieve academic excellence.  Academic exchanges with Cuban universities such as the University of Havana offer an array of scholarly opportunities to both sides.

Not sure whether this is about the state of Florida maintaining its own foreign policy.  But suppressing the exchange of ideas within academic settings is never a good idea.