Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Introduces “Stop WOKE Act” to Ban Critical Race Theory From Schools and Workplaces

Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced a bill on Wednesday to ban Critical Race Theory from grade schools and workplaces in the state.

During a press conference DeSantis announced that the “Stop Wrongs Against Our Kids And Employees (WOKE) Act, would allow parents to file lawsuits against school districts that they suspect are teaching CRT to their children and will entitle them to recover legal fees “when they prevail” in court.

“Our legislation will defund any money for K-12 going to CRT consultants,” DeSantis explained. “No taxpayer dollars should be used to teach our kids to hate our country or hate each other.”

DeSantis’ move is another attempt to strike against the controversial curriculum as he explained that people often fear lawsuits more than a fine, as it puts them in an “uncomfortable position.” 

The bill would also permit teachers to push back against what the governor called “unlawful mandates from their elected district leadership” and also bar colleges and universities from hiring “woke” Critical Race Theory consultants and educators at those institutions.

The proposal also includes provisions to help employees to protect themselves from incidents of “corporate wokeness,” such as training on critical race theory. 

The bill will be formally introduced in the next legislative session.