Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill to defund DEI programs at public colleges in Florida

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Monday to defund diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at all public universities in the state.

DeSantis called DEI a “distraction from the core mission.” He signed the legislation at the liberal arts New College of Florida.

At a news conference in Sarasota, the Governor said that DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination.

He added that it has no place in public institutions.

The law prohibits Florida state colleges from using state or federal funding to promote, support, or maintain programs that “advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism.”

DeSantis explained that this move is to reorient the universities back to their traditional mission- to treat people as individuals, “not to try to divvy them up based on any type of superficial characteristics”.

According to the law, general education courses “may not distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics” based on “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”

DeSantis also said that students who want to study “niche subjects,” such as critical race theory, seek other places.

“Florida’s getting out of that game,” he said. “If you want to do things like gender ideology, go to Berkeley.”

While it is said that students can still major in areas such as African American studies and gender studies, there are concerns that professors will be limited in how they teach those courses.

According to reports, the Florida legislation has sparked outrage on both the state and national levels. Higher-education professionals and First Amendment advocates are accusing the state of violating academic freedom.