Gov. DeSantis rolls out ‘Stop W.O.K.E. Act’ targeting critical race theory
Ron DeSantis fights the 'woke mind virus.' Image via WESH.

WOKE ACT
'We also have to protect our people and our kids from some very pernicious ideologies.'

Gov. Ron DeSantis continued his offensive against so-called critical race theory, rolling out a legislative proposal to clamp down on what already is a banned ideology in Florida schools.

“We have the responsibility to stand for the truth, for what is right,” DeSantis said to a rally-style crowd in Wildwood, . “We also have to protect our people and our kids from some very pernicious ideologies that are trying to be forced upon them all across the country.”

Critical race theory posits racial disparities have a continual influence on institutional structures, and for DeSantis, opposing it has been a matter of political concern. The Governor’s Board of Education banned it in classroom instruction this summer, and DeSantis has vowed to get involved in school board races next year. But more remains to be done, DeSantis believes.

To that end, he rolled out the “Stop W.O.K.E. Act.”

That phrase stands for the “Stop Wrongs Against Our Kids and Employees Act,” and DeSantis said the proposal would “do a number of things that are very important.”

It would enshrine in statute a ban on critical race theory, DeSantis said. It would also give parents a “private right of action” to file suits against districts that implement critical race theory policies.

“Honestly, the parents know best what’s going on, and they’re in the best position to do it,” DeSantis said, noting parents could force “discovery.”

The plan also would defund schools that hire critical race theory “consultants.” Critical race theory concepts would also be banned from employee training in schools.

DeSantis decried the critical race theory “cottage industry,” with said consultants “charging a king’s ransom” to teach its concepts.

“They’ll go to a school district or a business or colleges and universities. They bring a lot of this into those institutions and they call it equity,” DeSantis said, adding the term equity is just a way to “smuggle in their ideology.”

DeSantis also decried critical race theory concepts in corporate training seminars, saying they were tantamount to a “hostile work environment.”

“This corporate CRT, it’s basically corporate sanctioned racism,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said he believes current law allows employees to claim their civil rights were violated, and if it doesn’t, the law will be changed to address “harassment.”

Ahead of announcing the proposal, DeSantis invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“You think about what MLK stood for. He said he didn’t want people judged on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character,” DeSantis said. “You listen to some of these people nowadays, they don’t talk about that.”

The Governor focused heavily on decrying the “Marxism” at the heart of critical race theory.

“I think what you see now with the rise of this woke ideology is an attempt to really delegitimize our history and our institutions,” DeSantis said, decrying a “cultural Marxism” designed to “tear at the fabric of our society and our culture and things that really we’ve taken for granted.”

The Governor also railed about other states. Arizona’s “equity tool kit” came under fire, as did a Philadelphia elementary school that simulated a “Black Power” rally.

“This is something that you see all across the country,” DeSantis contended. He went on to add that those districts are performing “much worse academically” than “anyplace in Florida.”

Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez, Education Secretary Richard Corcoran and various lawmakers and activists from around the state joined DeSantis for his announcement.

Núñez invoked her parents, who left Cuba in 1961, saying they were fleeing “the oppression and the indoctrination that we are seeing at the hands of CRT.”

Outside speakers also were prioritized, including a professor from Hillsdale College and a speaker from the conservative activist group Moms For Liberty.

The Manhattan Institute’s Chris Rufo, a prominent voice against critical race theory, said DeSantis is the leader in the movement against the ideology.

“The whole country is watching the state of Florida,” Rufo said. “You have leadership that is bold and fearless and is taking action.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


42 comments

  • Charlie Mas

    December 15, 2021 at 11:03 am

    Can you provide a link to the text of the bill?

    • aaa

      December 16, 2021 at 7:11 pm

      No, I can’t tell you where to look for the actual text. I’ve searched and searched online and the best I can find is that the bill “will be introduced later”. It seems as if Governor DeSantis wants some time where he can get a lot of publicity from telling everyone how good his bill is, before anyone can know what’s actually in it.

  • Frankie M.

    December 15, 2021 at 11:05 am

    How do you declare war on something that doesn’t exist? Might as well declare war on drugs again…lmao. Pretty ironic Ronnie citing Dr. King when Ronnie has done everything he can to bring back Jim Crow.
    #dontlookup

    • Ron Ogden

      December 15, 2021 at 11:23 am

      CRT: Conspiracy for Racial Tension. it’s simple racism dressed up in academic robes. DeSantis is right to oppose it. Everyone should.
      Remember the “color blind society”? Remember “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”? Dustbin of history, it seems.

      • Frankie M.

        December 15, 2021 at 12:57 pm

        What is CRT really…besides the new boogeyman that Ronnie says it is?

        And secondly what schools are they teaching it in??

        It’s funny how DeSantis quotes civil rights leaders when it suits him while ignoring his own terrible track record in that department. I think the irony would be lost on him.

        • Alex

          December 15, 2021 at 2:06 pm

          Because Klannity said so.

        • Sabaya Pittman

          December 17, 2021 at 5:11 am

          You know what Critical Race Theory AKA Anti-White Ideology is. Simply because it doesn’t have “anti-white theory” written on it doesn’t mean it is there. It is virtually taught in all schools, teaching children an anti-white view of history and encouraging anti-white sentiment which violates the Civil Rights Act. Schools teach children that white people are evil oppressors (except when they kill their European brothers in both World Wars) and never teaching children real history.

          DeSantis is bought off by Jewish donors, so this bill will be useless and end any anti-white material being taught in schools.

      • Concern Citizen

        December 15, 2021 at 5:55 pm

        CRT is only a red herring to distract from his poor leadership and to arouse his base for support and votes,
        Please tell me what schools are teaching CRT in Florida in our k to 12 system. Next are you going to rewrite history and state that the Jan 6 assault was done by socialist and Antifa. Let have bills that will truly help Floridians and not cause division

        • Sabaya Pittman

          December 18, 2021 at 11:35 pm

          If you care about not sowing division then you would be fighting against anti-white ideology/CRT for what it does to white students. You bringing up Jan 6 crap is a red herring because that whole thing was an FBI trap.

        • Sabaya Pittman

          December 18, 2021 at 11:43 pm

          If you really cared about division then you wouldn’t be bitching about anti-white lies and iedology being taught in schools. You are another drone like Ron DeSantis, because he is funded by wealthy zionist donors like most democrats are.

  • James

    December 15, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    When all you know about MLK is the one quote lol. . . MLK was a socialist bro, he would of gladly supported CRT being taught to children, as would I, but we don’t even do that, they just get white washed history from school books approved in Texas. You republican chuds always get caught up in cultural non problems so that you vote republican so they can cut taxes for their rich donors.

    • ChiViking

      December 15, 2021 at 3:39 pm

      You nailed it.

    • Sabaya Pittman

      December 18, 2021 at 11:41 pm

      Those “white washed” books from Texas are just more anti-white bullshit, they still teach the holocaust (a Soviet-created propaganda myth) and Civil Right Era lies meant to cause anti-white sentiment and violence. MLK was a puppet for Jew capitalists you shill.

  • Alex

    December 15, 2021 at 1:12 pm

    Racist Ron doesn’t want racism taught.

    • Tom

      December 15, 2021 at 1:39 pm

      Impossible for Dem Manchurians to have a conversation without invoking false narrative of racism, Fake news.
      Everyone can vote. No one is denied.

  • Tom

    December 15, 2021 at 1:16 pm

    Another lie from Manchurian youts.
    No Jim Crow at all.
    Asking for ID to prove who you are is not racist.
    Federal courts have agreed.
    Dems cried wolf to much on racism.
    Btw, America’s Gov/legislature have expanded school choice education vouchers for Minorities greater access. Totally false claims.
    It was his pledge to do so that provided 18% of African vote, and 44% of Hispanics!
    Left Media and liberals don’t want anyone to know that.
    Nice try Frankie, as usual wrong.
    America’s Gov. the best!
    Tallahassee Gov mansion to WH, Oval Office,

    • Frankie M.

      December 15, 2021 at 2:11 pm

      Say it enough & you might actually believe it but that doesn’t necessarily make it so.

      • Tom

        December 15, 2021 at 3:09 pm

        Say what enough?
        I provided facts, he’s led on education and he literally won cause of minority moms/dads supporting his school voucher expansion. Fact.
        Do facts ever matter? To
        You Manchurians?
        Fed courts have supported reasonable voter ID. Fact
        It is taught. The disgusting sexual references are awful. Citizens spoke, facets.

        • Frankie M.

          December 15, 2021 at 4:58 pm

          How has he “led” on education? You want facts. Here ya go: Unless the Governor is $9,462.23 or more per student, then we are not BREAKING EVEN with Crist’s 2007 appropriation, in terms of real dollars. @JKennedyReport @gannett

          You need to R-E-L-A-X. Nobody is teaching CRT in public schools. But there are some private schools receiving voucher $$ that teach dinosaurs & humans lived together and slavery wasn’t so bad if you were a slave.

          Ronnie is doing what he always does…riling up his base so they’ll donate $$ to his re-election/WH run and you’re falling for it hook, line, and sinker. People are tired of hearing about immigration and gun control so Ronnie needs a new angle. CRT is the new boogeyman.

          • Alex

            December 15, 2021 at 8:54 pm

            DeDumbass trying to trigger the fear/anger reflex of ignorant racists.

            “Be afraid of the big bad CRT monster hiding under your bed!”

            Truth is conservatives think the entire world is now against them, and they blame it on the MSM, the Deep State, imaginary Commies, Soros, wokeness (whatever the hell that means, Lol), political correctness, Muslims, BLM, Satan, and any other boogie man they can dream up.

            Meanwhile the answer is staring them in the face.

            The entire world is against them because they’re wrong.

          • Tom

            December 16, 2021 at 8:36 am

            Not like you Frankie. You usually just cut and run.

            America’s Gov has expanded student education vouchers as stated. He has increased teachers pay and offered bonuses. He has increased expenditure per child. Florida led on schools being opened and offered due to Gov only. Union sued him.

            Apparently you and Charlie only think his appropriation is the only way to improve education. Hardly. Kennedy is a hack reporter, he wrote that for crist. I challenged him earlier this year on a topic and he ran, just like the rest of you Manchurians. CRT is alive and Gov is write to call it out.

            If you are quoting Charlie you have a long year coming. Enjoy,

    • AJ

      December 17, 2021 at 2:47 pm

      Funny how you nailed Manchurian, but strangely enough you do not seem to know the difference between “to” and “too” nor how to use either word properly. BTW, what the heck is “youts”? Is this what the Florida School districts are producing these days? Another question for you: Is Gov. DeSatan proposing that America’s violence and hatred towards indigenous and African people did not happen? If so, did millions of African people buy tickets to come to this country as volunteers? Were millions of Native Americans murdered for something other than the right to occupy their native territories? I just want to know this: why you think that Gov. DeSatan and crew (maybe this includes you with your grammatically incorrect writing self) are qualified to rewrite history? So, I guess the students of Florida will attend “his story” classes now.

      • Tom

        December 17, 2021 at 9:52 pm

        Gov Ron received 18% of the African American vote. They rejected the Gillium media spell. The Hispanic community provided 44% to America’s Gov., AJ. He will likely get to 55% of the Hispanic vote and 23% of African American vote in Nov 22. Education opportunity is very important.

        These things are called facts. Both groups responded to his pledge in expanding the public education voucher program. Which he did to expanded success. Not sure what else you are complaining about.

        Gov Ron is the leader of the Repub. conservative movement, he provides the ideas and political energy. The political de alignment taking place is deep. Blue collar, working class and middle class abandoning Dems to Repubs.

        America’s Governor, Tallahassee Gov mansion to the W H.

      • Tom

        December 18, 2021 at 8:46 am

        DeSantis is running and winning against the extremism espoused. More have regretfully perished from Covid with this POTUS #46, the Joe & giggles clown show.

        Your disrespect towards America’s Governor is typical. Independent thinkers voted for a DeSantis, 44% Hispanics and 18% African Americans, the margin of victory due to school choice voucher expansion.
        Which the chosen Gillium opposed due to FEA. How’s his recovery working out. Biden, Harris, Gillium no problem for whiz kid Gov.

        From Tallahassee Govs mansion to the W H, if he chooses. Enjoy America’s Governor! The best!

        • Tom

          December 18, 2021 at 9:01 am

          It’s called pop culture A J.
          I mock liberal Manchurians regularly. Climb aboard.
          Movie my cousin vinny, the judge asks joe pesci, who refers the two charged as “youts” instead of youths.
          Manchurian clown show continues.

  • Peggy

    December 15, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    Pure political theater. CRT is NOT taught in K-12. It’s a college level course taught in some Law Schools! His speech was ridiculous

    • Ruby Twilite

      December 16, 2021 at 10:25 am

      CRT isn’t a specific class. Its a belief system, a way of looking at everything else and in the case of education, a way of explaining everything. Specifically CRT views everything through the lens of black and white thinking. You are either oppressor or oppressed. America is either all good or all bad. There is no complexity, no nuance, no shades of gray. Everything is viewed with the goal of ‘social justice’ by wrongly using new racism to make up for old racism. Anyone who hates the US that much is free to go live somewhere else. America is a constitutional republic. The constitution is our guide. No amount of bad mouthing the US while thousands upon thousands of people risk their lives to come here above everywhere else on the planet with tear down this nation. Those who wish to destroy the US should speak with immigrants about why they came here and what they left. CRT is a racist perspective that systematically disempowers minorities so they become reliant on Dems. I cannot think of a worse thing to do to a human being than to crush all hope in their own ability and right to self determination.

  • Sister Trudy O'Rudy

    December 15, 2021 at 3:31 pm

    “The whole country is watching the state of Florida.”
    Oh my goodness gracious me, when in the last few years has that not been true? First we have a state shaped like a limp penis, and as if that was not bad enough now we have a limp penis for a governor, and there he goes waving that dudka around like a little lasso trying to round up some attention — the same thing he used to do at Saint Pistachio Elementary during recess. But I must give him some credit, he is definitely getting a lot more attention now than he did back then, bless his heart.

    • Ron Ogden

      December 15, 2021 at 7:46 pm

      Democrats and their obsession with genitals–try thinking with your brains, not your pudenda.

      • zhombre

        December 15, 2021 at 8:36 pm

        Yeah, the ‘sister act’ is really tiresome.

  • Ocean Joe

    December 15, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    I guess this means Wildwood and Nuremberg are sister cities now.

    • zhombre

      December 15, 2021 at 8:36 pm

      Well, that comparison is a great leap of logic. Straight into the dumpster.

  • Concern Citizen

    December 15, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    Concern Citizen
    December 15, 2021 at 5:55 pm
    Your comment is awaiting moderation.

    CRT is only a red herring to distract from his poor leadership and to arouse his base for support and votes,
    Please tell me what schools are teaching CRT in Florida in our k to 12 system. Next are you going to rewrite history and state that the Jan 6 assault was done by socialist and Antifa. Let have bills that will truly help Floridians and not cause division

  • ScienceBLVR

    December 15, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    As an educator in the public school system, I would relish the chance to discuss this issue with DeSantis and Dickey Corcoran, but alas, I fear that is unlikely to happen. DeSantis is spouting pure lies to parents who only want a well rounded education for their children.. and disguising factual history as a “Marxist” concept? Not sure how many parents could debate Marxism in relation to the American history of racism, but shucks, I’m sure they know it’s bad mojo..What a great represntive and leader for Floridians! Leading us into prosperity and blissful ignorance.

    • Ron Ogden

      December 16, 2021 at 4:10 am

      “. . .I would relish the chance to discuss this issue with DeSantis”
      Get yourself elected to the Florida Legislature and you can discuss it with him all you want. There is still time. Put down the coffee cup, call your local Dumi party headquarters and tell them that, as an educator in the public school system, you are ready to run for office. Call your union rep, too. Get busy.

  • ScienceBLVR

    December 16, 2021 at 6:34 am

    Ok, Ron.. hmmm Ron O and Ron D,, something with the name Ron, perhaps as in MoRon…sorry, I don’t usually fall into the using insulting names trap, but you are just wrong and fact less as usual. Don’t belong to a union- the $700 Club we call it in my district and only about half the teachers belong. Busy, oh yeah, we teachers are busy all right. How clueless can you truly be? And, I have to get elected to have an “audience” with King DeSantis? I guess I have the idea that he represents the people in Florida- a representational democracy- where the elected politician listens to his or her constituents and acts accordingly. I don’t know who DeSantis represents exactly, but it sure smells like Trumpsters and Fox News shucksters.

  • Angry

    December 16, 2021 at 6:41 am

    Tom, how are those knee pads holding up?

    • Tom

      December 16, 2021 at 8:22 am

      Angry, How are the roaches, and manure you wipe yourself off from the curb. You scum bag. How’s mommy and daddy scum bag. Your sister in the corner getting plugged all day. You degenerate.

      U Can’t talk issues. You obviously missed getting urinated on. All day long pal.

      Why don’t you trip a blind person, or make fun of a handicapped child.
      Belittling a cancer patient, the First Lady is pathetic, but scum like you know that already.

      You got nothing. Clown show in DC, and clown show with Dums in Florida. Fraud, Crispy and Tarantula.

      America’s Gov. busts liberals balls everyday. Buy a pair of his golf balls, grow a pair. LMAO. Enjoy the curb.

      • Concern Citizen

        December 16, 2021 at 10:47 am

        Tom — why are you so vulgar in your comments. Perhaps it is time for your to find our Lord, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas Tom

        • Tom

          December 17, 2021 at 8:39 am

          Concerned citizen, thanks for the good will. Angry is a scurrilous, disrespectful cretan. Better for you to keep out of it.

          When he openly and repeatedly mocks a cancer patient as he has, don’t look to me for support or understanding. Better for you to stay out of it, Kindly.

          Feel free to invite “angry” over since you are such a concerned, he is disgusting.

          Merry Christmas and blessings to you.

  • DRush76

    December 18, 2021 at 9:47 am

    That man is pathetic. He and his followers are either too weak or too egotistical to face the truth about the history of this country. Instead, they want this country to wallow in some historical wet dream or illusion. It’s just pathetic.

    • Tom

      December 18, 2021 at 2:55 pm

      No you head rush.
      You will not tear down America.
      It’s over for you Manchurians.
      DeSantis the best,
      America’s Gov.
      Tallahassee Guvs mansion to Oval Office WH.

Comments are closed.


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