Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that legislation he’s proposing would allow parents and teachers to sue schools and employees to sue employers who make them participate in policies or teaching involving the principles of critical race theory (CRT).
The Republican governor has already banned CRT teachings in public schools. The proposed Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees (Stop WOKE) Act would be the first legislation of its kind in the nation, “going on the offense against both corporate wokeness and critical race theory in our schools,” a prepared statement from the governor’s office said.
CRT evolved from Marxist teachings of critical theory and paints most of what goes on in society as dominated by a power struggle between the race of the oppressor and that of the oppressed. It’s the theory that propels Black Lives Matter, and demonizes the country’s Founding Fathers. Woke is term used to suggest that someone has been “awakened to the fact” that people are oppressed for characteristics such as race, sex, class, or gender identity.
“Nobody wants this crap!” DeSantis said during the announcement at a recreation center in the middle of the state.
“You’re not doing that here in the State of Florida.”
His proposed Stop WOKE Act would deem critical race theory training to be an unlawful employment practice. The legislation would make clear that corporations and public sector employers violate the Florida Civil Rights Act when they subject their employees to training that espouses stereotypes based on race or sex.
It also would recognize CRT training, under the “guise of professional development,” to be a discriminatory practice in education—in K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities—and would require districts and schools to adhere to professional development frameworks “consistent with Florida’s lawful and publicly adopted state standards.
The proposed legislation “solidifies and codifies the State Board of Education’s actions into state law, to guard students against indoctrinating curriculum,” according to the governor’s office.
By Nanette Holt
