WILDWOOD, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis has announced the Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees (W.O.K.E.) Act, is a comprehensive legislative proposal designed to equip businesses, employees, children, and families with the tools needed to push back against woke indoctrination. The Stop W.O.K.E. Act, hailed as the most robust legislation of its kind nationwide, aims to confront corporate wokeness and Critical Race Theory (CRT) head-on. This proposal builds on previous actions taken by Governor DeSantis to prohibit CRT and the New York Times’ 1619 Project from being included in Florida's school curriculums. For further details about the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, click here.
“In Florida, we are taking a definitive stand against state-sanctioned racism embedded in Critical Race Theory,” Governor DeSantis stated. “We refuse to allow Florida tax dollars to fund teaching children to hate their own country or each other. It is essential that parents have the necessary tools to enforce state standards and protect their rights. Additionally, Florida workers deserve safeguards against the hostile work environments created when large corporations impose CRT-inspired ‘training’ sessions and indoctrination.”
Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez expressed her full support for the initiative, saying, “As the daughter of Cuban exiles who fled Marxist ideology, I am proud to stand with Governor DeSantis and support this pivotal legislation, which addresses the growing issue of wokeness infiltrating our schools and workplaces. This law provides students and employees with resources to challenge discrimination, CRT, and indoctrination. I am proud to support the Governor in ensuring Florida remains not only the free state of Florida but also the woke-free state of Florida.”
Florida’s Commissioner of Education, Richard Corcoran, highlighted the significant steps taken under Governor DeSantis’ leadership to modernize Florida’s education standards. “We have publicly adopted new state education standards for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Civics, Character Education, and more, aligning our curriculum and lesson plans with world-class benchmarks,” Corcoran explained. “However, our classrooms, students, and teachers continue to face the persistent threat of Critical Race Theory advocates seeking to manipulate content into ideological indoctrination. Our schools should empower students with accurate and comprehensive historical knowledge, allowing them and their families to draw their own conclusions freely.”
Prominent voices and advocates also praised the Governor’s initiative.
- Chris Rufo, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and Director of the Initiative on Critical Race Theory, remarked, “Over the past year, parents have emerged as a powerful voice, asserting their authority in shaping their children’s education. While CRT in universities or federal bureaucracies may be overlooked, the acceleration of CRT into K-12 schools represents an unprecedented governmental overreach, intruding on the parent-child relationship. Governor DeSantis is not only protecting students and employees across Florida but is also setting an example for every state in America. Critical Race Theory does nothing to improve lives; it only divides.”
- Dr. Matthew Spalding, Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government at Hillsdale College and Dean of its Washington, D.C., campus, emphasized, “We are witnessing a pivotal moment where education’s purpose is being redefined. This is no longer a matter of budget or policy but of returning education to its rightful role in forming informed, principled citizens. We must teach students an honest, inspiring history of America, which unites rather than divides. Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Corcoran deserve recognition for their commitment to this cause.”
Parents shared their personal stories and concerns:
- Laly Jimenez-Hincapie, the daughter of a Cuban political prisoner, reflected, “I used to dismiss my father’s fears about communism infiltrating America, but seeing Critical Race Theory replace honest American history has been a wake-up call. Teaching CRT fosters division and attacks our children’s emotional well-being. Our kids deserve to know the true history of this great nation and be proud of it.”
- Lacaysha Howell, a biracial mother of three, expressed frustration with CRT in schools. “I want to keep my children in public schools, but educators must focus on basics like reading, math, and arithmetic. CRT only confuses and misguides students. As a person of color, I find it harmful and counterproductive.”
National Examples of CRT in Schools
- In Philadelphia, a school forced fifth-grade students to celebrate “Black communism” and participate in a Black Power rally to “free Angela Davis” from prison. Shockingly, 87% of students at this school fail to achieve basic literacy by graduation. More here.
- Seattle Public Schools informed teachers that the education system commits “spirit murder” against Black children and demanded white teachers “bankrupt [their] privilege” to atone for their “thieved inheritance.” More here.
- San Diego Public Schools accused white teachers of being colonizers on stolen Native American land, telling them, “You are racist” and recommending “antiracist therapy.” More here.
- In Cupertino, California, an elementary school required third-graders to deconstruct their racial identities and rank themselves based on “power and privilege.” More here.
- A middle school in Springfield, Missouri, forced teachers to locate themselves on an “oppression matrix,” labeling white heterosexual Protestant males as oppressors with “covert white supremacy.” More here.
- Buffalo Public Schools taught students that “all white people” perpetuate systemic racism and required kindergarteners to view videos depicting Black children warning about “racist police” who might kill them. More here.
- The Arizona Department of Education distributed an “equity toolkit” suggesting babies exhibit signs of racism by three months old and white children develop racial biases by age five. More here.
National Examples of Woke Corporate Training Programs
- Raytheon, the nation’s second-largest defense contractor, launched a CRT program instructing white employees to confront their “privilege,” reject equality, and support defunding the police. More here.
- Bank of America described the United States as a system of “white supremacy,” encouraged employees to become “woke at work,” and claimed white toddlers develop racial biases by ages three to five. More here.
- Google implemented training asserting that America operates under a “system of white supremacy” and all Americans are inherently racist. More here.
In June, Governor DeSantis attended a State Board of Education meeting to reiterate the importance of excluding Critical Race Theory from classrooms. Read more about that announcement here.