Florida: New Law Bans Critical Race Theory in Classrooms and the Workplace
The newly signed legislation was swiftly challenged in a federal lawsuit that argues the law violates First Amendment and 14th Amendment rights and seeks an injunction to stop it from going into effect. The plaintiffs contend that the new law will prevent Florida’s K-12 schoolteachers, college and university professors, and employers from espousing viewpoints about race in America, such as institutional racism and implicit bias. But DeSantis is confident that the new law is legal.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law new guidelines Friday involving race-based discussions in businesses and schools as part of his campaign against critical race theory, which he called “pernicious” ideology.
Passed by lawmakers earlier this year, the legislation bars instruction that says members of one race are inherently racist, and that they should feel guilt for past actions committed by others of the same race or that a person’s status as privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by their race. It also bars the notion that meritocracy is racist, or that discrimination is acceptable to achieve diversity.
“We believe in education, not indoctrination,” DeSantis said during Friday’s bill signing in South Florida.
DeSantis said Florida students will not have oppressive ideologies imposed on them, as the bill provides “substantive protections” for students in grades K to 12. He said “pernicious ideologies” will not be allowed.
“We will not use your tax dollars to teach our kids to hate this country or hate each other,” DeSantis said.
TEXT OF THE NEW LAW:
760.10 Unlawful employment practices.— 44 (8)(a) Subjecting any individual, as a condition of 45 employment, membership, certification, licensing, credentialing, 46 or passing an examination, to training, instruction, or any 47 other required activity that espouses, promotes, advances, 48 inculcates, or compels such individual to believe any of the 49 following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, 50 color, sex, or national origin under this section: 51 71 7. An individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or 72 any other form of psychological distress on account of his or 73 her race, color, sex, or national origin.
The other is in the section on state curricular standards:
(3) The Legislature acknowledges the fundamental truth that 280 all individuals are equal before the law and have inalienable 281 rights. Accordingly, instruction on the topics enumerated in 282 this section and supporting materials must be consistent with 283 the following principles of individual freedom: 284 (a) No individual is inherently racist, sexist, or 285 oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, solely by 286 virtue of his or her race or sex. 287 (b) No race is inherently superior to another race. 288 (c) No individual should be discriminated against or 289 receive adverse treatment solely or partly on the basis of race, 290 color, national origin, religion, disability, or sex. 291 (d) Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are not 292 racist but fundamental to the right to pursue happiness and be 293 rewarded for industry. 294 (e) An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, 295 does not bear responsibility for actions committed in the past 296 by other members of the same race or sex. 297 (f) An individual should not be made to feel discomfort, 298 guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on 299 account of his or her race. 300 301 Instructional personnel may facilitate discussions and use 302 curricula to address, in an age-appropriate manner, the topics 303 of sexism, slavery, racial oppression, racial segregation, and 304 racial discrimination, including topics relating to the 305 enactment and enforcement of laws resulting in sexism, racial 306 oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination. 307 However, classroom instruction and curriculum may not be used to 308 indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view 309 inconsistent with the principles of this subsection or state 310 academic standards.
Additional source: https://nypost.com/2022/04/22/new-florida-law-bans-critical-race-theory-in-schools-workplaces/