On Friday, a federal judge issued a permanent injunction against a portion of Florida’s “Stop Woke Act,” which was championed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and other GOP legislators to prohibit the teaching of critical race theory in educational settings and workplaces.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled that the 2022 law breached the First Amendment rights by blocking race-related training in private workplaces.
The legislation known as the “Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act,” commonly referred to as the “Stop WOKE Act,” aimed to eliminate teachings or business practices that suggest that individuals of a certain ethnic background are inherently racist or should feel guilt over historical actions committed by those of the same ethnicity.
Additionally, the law bans the notion that one’s race or gender determines whether they are privileged or oppressed. It further restricts the idea that discriminatory practices are acceptable for the sake of achieving diversity.
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT BLOCKS PART OF DESANTIS’ ‘STOP WOKE ACT’ ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis delivering a speech at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on April 1, 2023, in Garden City, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
The legislation outlined that any mandatory training or actions that “espouse, promote, advance, inculcate, or compel such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin,” specifically mentioning eight race-related concepts.
“This serves as a powerful reminder that the First Amendment cannot be distorted to benefit elected officials,” stated Shalini Goel Agarwal, counsel for Protect Democracy, which represented the plaintiffs in this case.
The educational aspects of the law remain unchallenged by this ruling.
DeSantis has frequently highlighted this law, asserting that Florida is the place where “woke goes to die.”
FEDERAL JUDGE HANDS DESANTIS ADMIN WIN OVER ‘STOP WOKE ACT’
Gov. DeSantis frequently cites the law while asserting that Florida is where “woke goes to die.” (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
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Judge Walker previously granted a preliminary injunction in 2022, declaring the workplace aspect of the law unconstitutional based on First Amendment grounds. The ruling was later upheld by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in March.
Separately, Walker has also issued a preliminary injunction against the section of the law that would limit how race-related concepts can be taught at colleges and universities in Florida, according to Fox 35. A hearing in that case was conducted by an appeals court panel last month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
