ORLANDO, Fla. — Valencia College has canceled optional faculty development courses on diversity-related topics, another casualty of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to rid campuses of what he calls “woke indoctrination.”
College leaders determined eight courses planned for the spring semester might violate House Bill 7, which Republicans dubbed the “Stop WOKE” law, prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory on K-12 and college campuses.
A total of 64 faculty members had signed up for the courses, which planned to address topics like racism, microaggressions, privilege and inequities in the LGBTQ community. Three of the canceled courses had the word “diversity” in their titles.
Faculty members who had signed up to take the courses received an email from college leaders last week saying the courses had been put on hold.
“I wanted to ensure that all of the faculty development courses we offer are in compliance with the law, and specifically the provisions of HB 7,” Valencia College President Kathleen Plinske wrote in an email last week. “As such, I felt it prudent to pause the offering of these faculty development courses this spring to allow us additional time for careful review.”
The college may still offer the courses at a later date, Plinske added.
The law championed by DeSantis and other state Republicans last year says schools and colleges must not “subject” students or employees to training on certain beliefs, including that “a person, by virtue of his or her race, color, national origin, or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.”
A federal court has temporarily blocked implementation of the law, which was passed last year, with a judge describing it as a “positively dystopian” violation of professors’ First Amendment rights.
But DeSantis’ campaign against “the far-left woke agenda” is still moving forward on college campuses.
DeSantis and state Republicans have put colleges and universities under a microscope, ordering them to turn over data about spending and staffing in diversity, equity and inclusion programs earlier this month.
College presidents across the state signed a statement presented to the Board of Education last week that says they won’t teach students that “systems of oppression should be the primary lens through which teaching and learning are analyzed” or offer instruction on critical race theory unless it’s presented alongside other concepts in an objective manner.
Plinske discussed the statement in a separate email sent to college employees this week, writing that the word “equity” may have taken on a new meaning and as a result, the college was “updating” some of the language on its website and other materials.
“To more clearly and precisely express our work related to improving our students’ learning and outcomes, you may notice the college updating some of the language on our website and in other communications,” Plinske wrote. “While our language may change, our commitment to our community and to our students and their learning has not and will not change.”
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