Florida’s cultural clashes over what to teach about race are not isolated to K-12 education. They are also spilling into the state’s higher education system.
For about a year now, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans have been fighting the influence of critical race theory and what they call “woke” ideologies in the classroom. Their latest effort is legislation that would place new restrictions on race-related instruction in public universities and colleges, and would threaten institutions with funding cuts and lawsuits if they violate the new regulations.
These regulations are packaged in House Bill 7, titled “Individual Freedom,” and are tied to the proposed state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. DeSantis, who has championed his own “anti-woke” agenda, is expected to approve both items.
