Courtesy of Tampa Bay Times
By Alisha Durosier
Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, has officially signed the bill banning Florida public universities from spending or obtaining state or federal funds for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives.
In higher education, DEI is a system of policies, plans and measures put in place to ensure the inclusion and education of underrepresented groups who have been historically and systematically discriminated against. Meaning, students and their various racial, ethnic, gender, or sexual identities are accommodated through education, or through programs and organizations implemented by or through universities.
The bill not only defunds DEI initiatives but further bars them from taking place at all. The law states that courses cannot contain curricula that teach “theories that systematic racism, sexism, oppression and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequalities” or teach “identity politics.” The bill aims at curricula often found within Gender Studies and Queer Studies along with African American history studies and critical race theory (C.R.T.) C.R.T is an academic concept that is based on the analysis of systemic racism embedded in America’s framework.
“DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination exclusion and indoctrination, and that has no place in our public institutions,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis signed the bill at Florida liberal arts college, New College of Florida in Sarasota amongst a slew of bills for higher education in Florida.
Following the signing of the bill DeSantis spoke at New College of Florida, the liberal arts college DeSantis and other Florida Republicans set their sights on earlier this year with the aim of placing the university down a more conservative path.
Being known as the most progressive public university in Florida, DeSantis implemented six new conservative leaning members to New College’s board of trustees, and hired new staff.
“This bill says the whole experiment with DEI is coming to an end in the state of Florida. We are eliminating the DEI programs,” DeSantis said.
The bill will officially take effect on July 1.
A blatant resurgence of the Natzification and faschism of the state of Florida, and a scary report as to this Republicans run for the White House 😐😑😓😶😥👎🏼👨🏽🎓