Bill targeting diversity, equity, inclusion on college campuses advances in legislature
MIAMI - The Florida House of Representatives this week advanced a bill that would ban state colleges and universities from using funds to "promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that espouse diversity, equity, or inclusion [DEI] or Critical Race Theory rhetoric."
The bill would also give the state's board of governors the ability to remove "any major or minor that is based on or otherwise utilizes pedagogical methodology associated with Critical Theory."
The bill, H.B. 999, was passed by the House on Monday and the Florida state Senate must now pass its version of the bill, S.B. 266, before it is able to head to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' desk.
Opponents of the bill worry that its language is too vague, and could be used to ban activities promoted by multicultural student unions, Black fraternities and sororities, and courses in Jewish history, women's studies and LGBTQ+ studies.
"College is the place where we figure this all out and have those competing interests," says Democrat Rep. Christopher Benjamin, District 107.
"It does our Florida college students a disservice not to allow them to grow intellectually," says Benjamin.
"What we do, and the discussion that we have within our groups and within our college campuses may not be as safe."
"The bill specifically does not speak to fraternity or sorority organizations of our divine 9 section of university life experience," Tiffany Russell, AKA South Atlantic Regional Director.
"My fear is that we are wanting to erase those topics that are not comfortable, but they are our truth," says Russell.
