Gov. Ron DeSantis continues war on ‘woke indoctrination’ with Florida DEI ban
By TJ Robinson // Diversity // EEW Magazine Online
Ron DeSantis continues war on ‘woke indoctrination’ with his latest move to ban DEI in public colleges and universities (Credit: EEW Magazine Online)
Teaching on diversity, equity, and inclusion has no place in public colleges and universities according to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who signed a bill into law Monday banning the state's public colleges and universities from spending money on DEI.
"If you look at the way this has actually been implemented across the country, DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination," DeSantis said during a news conference at New College of Florida in Sarasota. "And that has no place in our public institutions."
This effort is part of DeSantis' larger work to crack down on what he calls "woke indoctrination" in schools.
Gov. Ron DeSantis shows off all three bills he signed into legislation on Monday May 15, 2023, at New College of Florida. (Credit: Getty)
Diversity, equity and inclusion offices in higher education often spearhead services tailored to students of various races, genders, sexual orientations, cultures and abilities. Some college administrators also consider DEI factors when admitting students, providing scholarships or deciding which faculty to hire and promote.
The law blocks public universities from diverting state or federal funds toward programs or campus activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion or promote political or social activism.
“In reality what this concept of DEI has been is to attempt to impose orthodoxy on the university,” DeSantis said at a bill signing ceremony in Sarasota. “This has basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda, and that is wrong.”
DEI advocates do not agree.
"When you see elected leaders demonizing educators and weaponizing education, it's a five-alarm fire for democracy," Irene Mulvey, president of The American Association of University Professors, told Nature. "It’s important to understand that when governors attack DEI efforts, they completely mischaracterize them to create a straw-man demon that they now have to do away with."
The signing builds on the governor’s larger push to shape Florida’s education system through regulating how schools deal with subjects such as race and gender.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Democrat, issued a statement after the signing that said the law continues DeSantis’ “overreach” into education.
“Education ought to be about teaching kids how to think through issues, not what to think about issues,” Jones said. “The exposure to wide-ranging experiences and fresh perspectives encourages understanding and creativity. By restricting what students can learn, the state is actively suppressing students’ academic and intellectual freedom.”
The location of the bill signing is notable as DeSantis has targeted New College of Florida to put it in a more conservative direction. Earlier this year, he appointed six new members to the school's board of trustees, putting conservative allies in control of the board. He accused the school's leadership of overemphasizing DEI, critical race theory and gender ideology, which he said is not "what a liberal arts education should be."
The new law also stipulates that general education courses can't "distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics"—or critical race theory.
