On December 15, 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act, also known as The Stop W.O.K.E. Act. In the announcement, the Governor explicitly states that he believes Critical Race Theory is “indoctrination.” The definition of indoctrination is “the process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.” DeSantis implies that schools are brainwashing the children into accepting the teachings of the CRT program. On the other hand, getting rid of CRT is erasing the education of the fact that systemic racism is built into American society from the curriculum. Not allowing Florida students to think about it critically.
Months later “anti-woke” legislation was signed leading to the dissolution of CRT in public K-12 schools.
Governor DeSantis requested the budget information for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs from all of Florida’s public universities. Soon after, he pushed for the dismantling of all DEI programs.
The new legislation has made it easier for the Administration to attack LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. In March 2022, the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill was signed into law. The legislation prohibited “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity.” Following the bill’s passing, high school students statewide protested the legislation. Students walked out of their classrooms with pride flags and picket signs, one poster reading “my existence will not be taboo.” A year later, public universities are fighting their own battle.
As of January 18th, 2023, the administration has requested the data of people who have received care for gender dysphoria at the hospitals of Florida’s public universities. They specifically asked about the ages and dates they received care in their request. Andy Pham, an officer of the transgender student union at USF, told the Tampa Bay Times “The problem is it’s part of a pattern of behavior.” If DEI programs have been urged to dissolve soon after the budget request, what keeps the same thing from happening to the gender-affirming care that transgender people receive from public universities?
Ben Braver, a junior at USF is the leader of the statewide movement and walk-out, Stand for Freedom Florida. He told Insider “we, just like any generation, need to stand for the civil rights that have already been fought for, the ones that have been won, and those which are at stake right now.” From high schools to state-funded universities, people will walk out on Thursday, 2/23/23, at 12-1pm to their Student Centers protesting the administration’s recent actions in hopes of making a positive change to all of Florida’s public schools.