The main economic impact of this bill is that colleges will lose financial support for supporting programs or campus activities that “espouse diversity, equity, or inclusion or Critical Race Theory rhetoric.” This comes as many HBCUs are calling for increased government funding.
Florida has had a recent history of targeting Black residents and their education, often led by its Republican Governor, Ron DeSantis who has been on a political campaign to eradicate the supposed growing “woke” education agenda. HB 999 falls right in line with this pattern.
The language of the bill appears vague and that lack of clarity is what many find the most unsettling. Anything could be on the financial chopping block now from historic NPHC organizations to Black student unions and Black focused courses.
Black fraternities and sororites are fighting back by showing up to hearings and vocally opposing this bill. We need to protest this in numbers because it could change the face of our children’s education for generations.
The system is actively creating new ways to stifle the educational environments of our colleges and universities. But we don’t have to sit and take it. Instead we must organize and speak out against the system and hold the government accountable for its proposals and decisions.