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Federal court strikes down Florida's Stop WOKE Act
Orlando Sentinel • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal appeals court struck down key parts of Florida’s Stop WOKE Act, ruling it unconstitutionally censors university professors from discussing race, sex, and bias, thus violating the First Amendment.
- The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction preventing enforcement of the law, which had forced educators to alter or cancel courses related to critical race theory and gender studies.
- The law, championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, imposed penalties on faculty for deviating from approved curricula and barred diversity trainings by private companies; the latter was previously struck down as unconstitutional.
- The ruling was praised by the ACLU as a victory for academic freedom and free exchange of ideas, noting that similar laws in over 30 states have faced legal challenges.
- Florida may appeal the decision to the full 11th Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court, but both options are considered long shots by legal experts.
