(RepublicanReport.org) – In May 2023, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 266, which prohibited educational institutions across the state from allotting money to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. At the time, NPR reported that the former presidential candidate said the programs should be renamed to stand for “discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination.” He said they have no place in Florida colleges.
On January 24, Newsmax reported that the board overseeing a dozen public universities in Florida made a move to further root out DEI programs. The group voted to ban the use of state and federal funds to pay for DEI programs or activities. Essentially, it disallows institutions for higher learning in the state from using any tax money to fund “political or social activism.”
The move was the second of its kind in one week in the state of Florida. The Board of Education did the same thing in 28 smaller Florida colleges. Both groups also chose to replace sociology with US history as a core requirement class. However, Board of Governors member Tim Cerio wanted to make it clear that sociology was not cut from Florida universities, but simply removed as a requirement. Cerio said if there was a demand for the class, students would be allowed to take it.
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. said the group would not allow taxpayer money to fund “DEI and radical indoctrination that promotes division in our society,” echoing the governor’s sentiment about the issue. Axios reported that Diaz told the outlet in an email “DEI is DOA in Florida.”
McKinsey & Company describes DEI as a way for organizations to meet the needs of everyone. Many companies incorporate these policies into their hiring practices, so that everyone can feel supported. Some examples of those incorporated into some schools include programs promoting gender, age, ethnicity, and physical diversity while teaching about different histories, cultures, and experiences.
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