Tipsheet

How DeSantis Is Tackling Critical Race Theory in Florida

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  December 15, 2021 12:00 PM

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday introduced the Stop WOKE Act in an effort to push back against critical race theory in both schools and the workplace. 

Earlier this year, the Republican governor directed the Florida Department of Education to ban critical race theory in public schools, and now, this legislation puts the ban into law, according to WFLA. 

“We have the responsibility to stand for the truth, for what is right,” DeSantis said. “We also have to protect our people and our kids from some very pernicious ideologies that are trying to be forced upon them all across the country.”

The Stop Wrongs Against Our Kids and Employees Act “will defend any money for K-12 going to CRT consultants," the governor said. "No taxpayer dollars should be used to teach our kids to hate our country or hate each other."

“We’re also not going to allow the staff or employees or teachers in our education system to be subjected to that type of training where they’re forced to sit there and listen," he added. "This is wrong when it’s done to our kids, but it’s also wrong to force employees to have to go through that.”

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The legislation also empowers parents.

“We are going to be including in this legislation giving parents a private right of action to be able to enforce the prohibition on CRT, and they get to recover attorney’s fees when they prevail, which is very important,” DeSantis said. “A lot of times these people will fear lawsuits more than a fine from the State Department of Education.”

He explained he viewed “wokeness” as a form of cultural Marxism. 

“They really want to tear at the fabric of our society and our culture, and things that really we’ve taken for granted, like the ability of parents to direct the upbringing of their kids, so this is really significant,” he said.