After ending his 2024 White House bid and endorsing his former rival Donald Trump for president, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is back in The Sunshine State pushing his “anti-woke” legislation. Last year, DeSantis signed a bill to defund DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs at state public colleges.
In order to comply with the new Florida Board of Education’s rule, the University of Florida fired its entire DEI staff. According to a university spokesperson, Cynthia Roldán Hernández: “13 full-time positions were terminated and 15 administrative appointments were ended for faculty members.”
The rule defines DEI as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”
Florida is where DEI goes to die… https://t.co/1PsGgHE6nP
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) March 1, 2024
While 28 Florida residents are now out of a job, DeSantis celebrated the news by responding on X with a variation of one of his favorite phrases: “Florida is where DEI goes to die…” (The Governor likes to say “Florida is where woke goes to die.”)
Fellow MAGA supporter Valentina Gomez, who is running for Missouri Secretary of State, replied to DeSantis: “Missouri will soon join you! Governor, you’re invited to when I get sworn in as Secretary of State and declare the end of DEI, LGBTQ, and critical race theory.”
Missouri will soon join you! Governor, you’re invited to when I get sworn in as Secretary of State and declare the end of DEI, LGBTQ, and critical race theory
— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForSOS) March 1, 2024
[Note: The University of Florida wrote in a statement: “Under the direction of UF Human Resources, university employees whose positions were eliminated will receive UF’s standard twelve weeks of pay. These colleagues are allowed and encouraged to apply, between now and Friday, April 19, for expedited consideration for different positions currently posted with the university.”]
