Friday 18 November 2022 12:23 AM Florida judge blocks 'Stop Woke' law pushed by Gov. DeSantis that would ban CRT ... trends now
A judge has blocked the anti-critical race theory law pushed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, which looked to stop 'woke' teachings in colleges and universities.
The Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act, better known as the 'Stop WOKE Act' would restrict lessons on race and gender at institutions of higher learning, which Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker described as 'positively dystopian.'
The 138 page order issued by Walker even referenced George Orwell's 1984, a novel about totalitarianism and the dangers of the 'Thought Police' and political abuses, according to Brittanica.
'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen,' and the powers in charge of Florida's public university system have declared the State has unfettered authority to muzzle its professors in the name of 'freedom.'
Judge Mark Walker called the 'Stop WOKE' Act 'positively dystopian' in a ruling issued Thursday
Gov. Ron DeSantis was surrounded by children and parents when he signed the bill into law in April
The DeSantis-backed bill looks to ban 'discriminatory' teachings like critical race theory
The Thursday ruling only impacts the law's implementation at colleges and universities in the 'Sunshine State.'
Walker, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, said in his ruling the law 'officially bans professors from expressing disfavored viewpoints in university classrooms while permitting unfettered expression of the opposite viewpoints.'
The law would have codified Florida Department of Education's ban on critical race theory and would prohibit 'school districts, colleges and universities from hiring woke CRT consultants.'
A handout summarizing the proposal, officials said it 'will be the strongest legislation of its kind.'
In September, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression filed a lawsuit against the act, calling it unconstitutionally impact free speech on college campuses.
'I hope that the courts will defend the existence of a public education that cannot be manipulated by politicians to push any ideology, now and in the future,' FIRE plaintiff Adriana Novoa, a University of South Florida history professor of 17 years.
Governor Ron DeSantis has argued that the law would stop discriminatory teachings in Florida workplaces and classrooms
Walker agreed, saying the 'Stop WOKE' Act violated First Amendment protections as well as due process rights in the 14th Amendment.
'Defendants argue that, under this Act, professors enjoy 'academic freedom' so long as they express only those viewpoints of which the State approves,' Walker wrote.
Another lawsuit was filed by the ACLU, the ACLU of Florida, and the Legal Defense Fund and also tackled the law's constitutionality at the college level.
Other legal challenges have been brought forth over the Act's legality in the workplace and at schools for children K-12.
DeSantis and his Administration do plan to appeal the decision, the Governor's press secretary Bryan Griffin confirmed to DailyMail.com.
Griffin released the following statement regarding Judge Walker's ruling and the intentions of the DeSantis administration in the coming days and weeks:
'This recent ruling included several victories for our legal team. We expect many more and ultimately to prevail in this litigation.
We strongly disagree with Judge Walker’s preliminary injunction orders on the enforcement of the Stop W.O.K.E. Act and will continue to fight to prevent Florida’s students and employees from being subjected to discriminatory classroom instruction or mandated discriminatory workplace training.
The Stop W.O.K.E. Act protects the open exchange of ideas by prohibiting teachers or employers who hold agency over others from forcing discriminatory concepts on students as part of classroom instruction
