A bill filed this week in Florida would give Governor Ron DeSantis more power over the state’s public university system, and eliminate majors involving gender studies or critical race theory. The proposed legislation reflects a legislative agenda announced by DeSantis in January, which includes banning consideration of diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring faculty. If the bill wins support from the Republican-controlled legislature, DeSantis would gain greater influence over decisions made by each institution’s board of trustees, as the governor appoints a significant number of board members.
The proposed legislation represents the latest front in the Republican war against what they view as the “woke” agenda pushed by liberals on public education across the country. The wide-reaching bill, which aims to align the state’s core curriculum with the values of liberty and the Western tradition, has been met with criticism from academics, free speech advocates, and students alike. Critics argue that the proposed legislation would virtually end academic freedom, shared governance, and institutional autonomy at all Florida colleges and universities.
The bill would also prohibit spending on programs or campus activities that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and “Critical Race Theory rhetoric.” The proposed legislation states that general education core courses taught at public universities “may not suppress or distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics, such as Critical Race Theory, or defines American history as contrary to the creation of a new nation based on universal principles stated in the Declaration of Independence.” However, proponents of diversity, equity, and inclusion say that such efforts are needed to give traditionally marginalized groups equal footing.
Governor DeSantis is expected to launch a presidential bid after Florida’s legislative session ends this spring, positioning himself as a leader in the fight against the “woke” agenda. While the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Representative Alex Andrade, could not be reached for comment, a spokesman for the governor, Jeremy Redfern, said that DeSantis would decide whether to sign the bill after seeing a final version passed by lawmakers.
