A federal judge has permanently blocked a portion of Florida’s controversial “Stop WOKE Act,” a law championed by Governor Ron DeSantis for banning critical race theory in both classrooms and workplaces.
The law, officially titled the “Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act” (or “Stop WOKE Act”), was designed to prohibit teachings and training that suggest one racial group is inherently racist or should feel guilt for historical racism. It also aimed to ban the belief that individuals are privileged or oppressed in American society solely based on their race and that discrimination is necessary to achieve diversity and equity.
Specifically, the law targeted any mandatory workplace training that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin,” and went on to cite several race-related concepts.
US District Judge Mark Walker issued a permanent injunction against the part of the law prohibiting race-related training in private workplaces, ruling that it violates the First Amendment. However, the provisions of the law related to education remain unaffected.
Protect Democracy, the organization representing the plaintiffs in the case, argued that the law infringed on First Amendment rights. Shalini Goel Agarwal, counsel for the organization, applauded the judge’s ruling and stated, “[This is] a powerful reminder that the First Amendment cannot be warped to serve the interests of elected officials.”
Governor DeSantis has been a vocal supporter of the state’s initiatives against what he terms “woke policies,” often declaring that Florida is where “woke goes to die.”
“No one should be instructed to feel as if they are not equal or shamed because of their race,” said Governor DeSantis when he signed the bill into law. “In Florida, we will not let the far-left woke agenda take over our schools and workplaces. There is no place for indoctrination or discrimination in Florida.”
