Photo: WADE VANDERVORT/AFP/Getty Images
the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantissaid Tuesday that he intends to prohibit state universities from spending money from public funds earmarked for University education in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the hope that they will “wither” without funds.
“They really serve as an ideological filter, a political filter,” the Republican said, referring to these programs as “indoctrination,” during a rally at the State College of Florida in Bradenton.
The proposal to defund these programs is a top priority for DeSantis’ higher education agenda this yearwhich also includes granting politically appointed presidents and university trustees more power over hiring and firing at universities and urge schools to focus their missions on the future needs of Florida’s workforce.
DeSantis, who is said to be weighing a possible 2024 presidential run, has seen his standing rise among conservatives across the country after outlining his positions on hot-button issues of culture and education.
In a press release on the announced legislation, the governor’s office called it “discriminatory” diversity, equity and inclusion programs and vowed to bar universities from funding them, even if the source of the money is not from the state.
The governor insisted that these programs try to achieve “political activism” with public funds.
For this reason, the Republican announced that Florida representatives will address the issue during Florida’s legislative session that begins next March.
Renowned attorney Benjamin Crump, specializing in civil rights cases, announced last week that to sue Florida if pilot African-American studies course is not allowed to go ahead within an advanced program for high school students.
The state Department of Education, headed by Commissioner Manny Díaz Jr., rejected this course in a letter sent to the College Board, the higher education council that oversees Advanced Placement (AP) classes in African-American studies.
Díaz Jr. described this course as “indoctrination disguised as education.”
The Florida Democratic Party criticized DeSantis’ stance on African-American history and communities in a statement released today.
The statement says that DeSantis has a history of attacking African-American communities in Florida, has protected Confederate statues and promoted discriminatory legislation against the “Black Lives Matter” movement (black lives count).