Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to codify the state-wide ban on Critical Race Theory-inspired lessons for students and employees on Wednesday in Wildwood, Florida.
DeSantis laid out his new legislation titled, “Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act,” or the Stop WOKE Act, which aims to “give businesses, employees, children, and families tools to fight back against woke indoctrination.” The legislation also “prohibits school districts, colleges, and universities from hiring woke CRT consultants,” according to a handout.
“We won’t allow Florida tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other,” DeSantis said. “Finally, we must protect Florida workers against the hostile work environment that is created when large corporations force their employees to endure CRT-inspired ‘training’ and indoctrination.”
Florida’s Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette Nuñez said that the Stop WOKE Act “gives students and employees the resources they need to fight back against discrimination, critical race theory, and indoctrination.” Specifically, the legislation provides employees, parents, and students a private right of action to sue individuals and school districts that fail to comply with state standards.
DeSantis said during the legislative announcement that school districts and teachers refused to comply with the state Board of Education’s initial ban on CRT.
Florida @GovRonDeSantis announces the “Stop Woke Act,” putting FL’s ban on CRT into statute.
It also includes a “private right of action” for parents to sue if they think their kids are being taught CRT.
Parents can collect attorneys fees if they are successful in their suit. pic.twitter.com/wqzrnN8QHN
— American Principles 🇺🇸 (@approject) December 15, 2021
The Zinn Education Project, a left-wing education group, posted a list of teachers who pledged to continue teaching CRT even if state laws ban it. Per the list, 110 Florida teachers signed the pledge. (RELATED: Loudoun County Allowed Student To Opt-Out Of Critical Race Theory-Inspired Lessons)
Florida’s Commissioner of Education encouraged schools to focus on “empowering students with great, historically accurate knowledge and giving those students and their families the freedom to draw their own conclusions,” instead of advocating for CRT.