Although Gov. Ron DeSantis has proclaimed Florida is “where woke goes to die,” at least part of his death plan, the anti-American “Stop WOKE Act,” has now kicked the bucket. Another is on life support.
In March, a federal court of appeals upheld a temporary injunction against Florida’s restrictions on employers' race-related trainings. Last week, a federal judge made the injunction permanent.
The act was one of several bills the Republican governor signed in 2022 as part of his war on “woke ideology.” It was intended to prevent teachings or mandatory workplace activities that suggest a person is privileged or oppressed based on their race, color, sex or national origin.
On Friday, Chief US District Judge Mark Walker issued a two-page order granting a permanent injunction against the law’s workplace training provisions. The order says the law “violates free speech rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution.”
Walker first issued the preliminary injunction to block the state from enforcing prohibitions on mandatory workplace activities and trainings in August 2022, saying the act “discriminates on the basis of viewpoint in violation of the First Amendment and is impermissibly vague in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
More trouble for DeSantis' thought-control legislation may be in the works. Politico reported that a separate challenge to the portion of the law related to colleges and universities is currently pending in appeals court.
It would be nice if DeSantis focused on making life better for his constituents, like maybe helping Floridians access affordable home, auto and health insurance, instead of trying to police what they say or think. Oh, that’s right. He helped the insurance companies, instead.
