DeSantis Bans Funding for Florida University Diversity Programs

Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida and likely US presidential candidate, says the programs are intended to push an “ideological agenda.”

Florida Republican Governor ron desantis has signed a bill to block federal and state funding for programs that aim to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at public universities, fueling a conservative push against such initiatives.

DeSantis approved the measure Monday, denouncing DEI programs as part of a “relatively recent” push to impose an “ideological agenda” on educational institutions in the United States.

“DEI is best seen as a representation of discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination. And that has no place in our public institutions,” DeSantis said during a press conference.

The law marks the latest effort by DeSantis, who is expected to announce a presidential race in the coming weeks, to champion conservative social causes, including in education.

DeSantis is widely seen as former President Donald Trump’s most serious challenger for the 2024 Republican nomination, but his poll numbers have faltered in recent weeks.

The governor of Florida has also pushed for further restrictions. about abortion and helped set limits on discussions of sexuality and gender identity in the classrooms.

In recent years, many US universities have adopted DEI’s programs and training to bolster diversity in their ranks and better address the needs of minority students and faculty.

Monday’s move bans curricula that teach “identity politics” or “theories that racism, sexism, oppression, and systemic privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social inequalities.” , political and economic”.

The legislation is intended to restrict education that looks at United States history through the lens of racism, a view known as critical race theory.

Proponents of diversity programs and critical race theory argue that they aim to counter institutional racism and teach an accurate version of history that highlights the obstacles African-Americans and other ethnic minorities have faced.

Governor DeSantis has just signed into law SB266/HB999. Below is our statement from when the bill passed the full House. https://t.co/1ViUv23cfj

— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) May 15, 2023

Florida Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones pushed back on what she called DeSantis’ “overreach” on education. “Education should be about teaching children how to think about problems, not what to think about problems,” Jones said.

“Exposure to a wide range of experiences and new perspectives fosters understanding and creativity. By restricting what students can learnthe state is actively suppressing the academic and intellectual freedom of students.”

Florida House Member Anna Eskamani also called the bill a “witch hunt” after it passed the state legislature earlier this month.

“This is a destructive law that targets diverse students like me and our ability to thrive in higher education institutions,” Eskamani, of Iranian descent, said in a statement.

“It also suppresses academic freedom and inserts conservative political orthodoxy into the classroom.”