WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis continuing his crusade for education, hosting an “exposing the DEI scam” roundtable Monday morning.
He’s been on a mission to remove diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from Florida universities.
The governor met with education officials from across the state, plus two minority students who claim DEI programs hindered their success.
The focus at universities, DeSantis said, should be “education – not indoctrination.”
Governor DeSantis said Florida universities self-reported $34 million spent on DEI initiatives earlier this year.
He believes that number is significantly higher and wonders how the money could be used in a “better” way.
“It’s been used in the administrative apparatus of universities to try to impose not diversity of thought but to try to impose uniformity of thought and instead of inclusion, the people that dissent from this orthodoxy are actually excluded and marginalized,” DeSantis said.
Former University of North Florida student Darryl Boyer said he experienced discrimination while taking courses there, with classmates blocking him on social media after they found out he was a republican.
“DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – is nothing more than viewing everything through the lens of race and LGBTQ,” Boyer said. “If you don’t belong in those classifications, you don’t belong in the part of inclusion.”
DeSantis said lawmakers are pursuing “legislative solutions” to eliminate spending money on DEI programs and activities in universities.
HB 999 allows a professor’s tenure to be called into review at any time and bans spending on DEI.
“It also prohibits soliciting pledges of DEI or CRT or any political viewpoint as a condition of hiring, promotions or admissions,” DeSantis said.
In a statement, University of Florida Faculty Senate Chair Amanda Phalin said “the legislation “unnecessarily removes the ability of our academic experts to work successfully with the state to continue our system’s excellence.”
First Coast News reached out to UNF for comment on Boyer’s account, but we haven’t heard back yet.