Stop WOKE Act

The Stop Woke Act, Parental Rights in Education law, and new rules about curriculum transparency are changing school practices across the state.

A local Rotary Club and nonprofit have given dictionaries to Sarasota, Fla., schools for over a decade. The district declined this year amidst amidst a book freeze while it navigates a new state law.

The Parental Rights in Education law and the Stop WOKE Act have caused some confusion among teachers and school districts as they try to work out what can and can’t be said to avoid lawsuits.

The ruling comes the same day a third lawsuit —this one by a group of university professors and a student—was filed. DeSantis has championed the law as an effort to prevent teaching "our kids to hate our country or hate each other."

The lawsuit claims the law amounts to “racially motivated censorship” that will act to “stifle widespread demands to discuss, study and address systemic inequalities” in society.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that the law, which DeSantis calls the "Stop WOKE Act," violates the First Amendment and are seeking a preliminary injunction to block its enforcement.

It puts restrictions on how race and sexism can be addressed in public school classrooms and workplaces. The businesses say it violates their free speech rights.

Kathleen Passidomo and Paul Renner made their comments as the Republican Party of Florida opened its Sunshine Summit.

The group held its first national summit July 15-17 in Tampa, where members were trained by the conservative Leadership Institute in how to challenge bureaucracies and run for office.

Protesters criticized the group's support of new state laws to limit instruction on racism and gender identity in schools. They also spoke out about Florida's 15-week abortion ban.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed bills that limit how race and sexual orientation can be taught. He says students have been getting a "distorted" view of history.

The plaintiffs say the law, dubbed the "Stop WOKE Act," violates First Amendment rights and is unconstitutionally vague.