Are Lawmakers Pushing to Censor Discussions of Race and Gender in Classrooms and the Workplace?
Receive stories like these directly to your email inbox by signing up for Newsletter.
Florida Republican lawmakers are actively working towards expanding the scope of the state’s Civil Rights Act to safeguard individuals from being exposed to specific instructional materials concerning race or sex in Florida’s educational institutions and workplaces. This move could potentially lead to civil actions or administrative proceedings.
The core concern revolves around the continuous efforts made by the DeSantis administration to control the discussions on race and other subjects in schools, as well as the increasing attempts to restrict private businesses’ freedom to make decisions for their own companies.
Representative Bryan Avila, a Republican who represents a portion of Miami-Dade County and is the sponsor of House Bill 7 (HB 7), states that this legislation is an affirmation that people should not be judged based on characteristics such as race or sex.
Avila expressed at a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, "This bill makes it clear that in Florida, individuals will be evaluated based on their own merits— their words, characters, and actions." The bill passed with a vote of 14 to 7, with one vote missing, and Democrats opposing it.
At the same meeting, Representative Dianne Hart from Hillsborough County voiced her concerns about the bill, stating, "This bill hinders teachers’ ability to effectively teach." She further explained, "Every teacher I’ve interacted with fulfills their duty not only from an academic standpoint but also from a personal one." Teachers use their personal experiences to bring curriculum to life for their students, especially for Black and Brown students when discussing race and discrimination.
According to the bill analysis, HB 7 expands the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992, which aims to ensure freedom from discrimination for all individuals in the state based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status.
The bill has implications for the education and employment sectors, stating that individuals should not be subjected to training or materials that endorse principles such as:
– "Members of one race, color, national origin, or sex are morally superior to members of another race, color, national origin, or sex."
– "A person, by virtue of his or her race, color, national origin, or sex is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously."
– "A person’s moral character or status as either privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by his or her race, color, national origin, or sex."
– "A person, by virtue of his or her race, color, national origin, or sex bears responsibility for, or should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment because of, actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, national origin, or sex."
– "A person should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race, color, national origin, or sex."
If the bill becomes law, these principles would also apply to students and school employees under the Florida Educational Equity Act. A version of the bill is also making progress in the Senate during the 2022 legislative session.
Avila expressed, "These are principles that I believe each and every one of us—regardless of political affiliation—would agree with. When you examine these principles, I don’t think anyone would disagree with them," during the Wednesday committee meeting.
However, Ben Diamond, a Democrat representing part of Pinellas County, opposes the bill. He argues, "What we’re essentially doing is allowing individuals to sue a business if they experience feelings of guilt, anguish, or any emotional reaction during lawful diversity training. How does this benefit our businesses in the state?"
Much of the debate and public testimony focused on the bill’s impact on schools and whether it would restrict open discussions about the history of the United States and race.
Avila clarified that the bill does not "ban the teaching of historical facts about slavery, sexism, racial oppression, racial segregation, or racial discrimination." However, many Democratic lawmakers hold a different view on the matter.
The ongoing issue at hand is the attempt to regulate how race and other subjects are addressed in classrooms.
During the debate on HB 7, Representative Hart raised concerns about the criticism directed at Critical Race Theory.
He pointed out that Critical Race Theory is not taught in K-12 schools. It is primarily used in law schools to enhance understanding of the implications of laws. This leads to the question: What is the true motive behind these criticisms?
Ida Eskamani, who represents the organizations Florida Rising and Florida Immigrant Coalition, expressed her views during the public testimony. She characterized this legislation as part of a dangerous and disgraceful nationwide agenda to suppress discussions on race and gender equality in both classrooms and workplaces.
She further stated that these bills not only hinder the progress made in addressing racism and sexism but also deprive young individuals of an education based on factual information. It is a blatant suppression of freedom of speech regarding topics of race, gender, and our shared history.
Ida Eskamani’s point is significant as she happens to be the sister of Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani from Orlando. She cited an incident in which a school district in Central Florida canceled a professor’s lecture on civil rights due to the climate of fear created by these policies.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, a history professor from Flagler College was scheduled to provide a one-hour lecture to Osceola County teachers on the civil rights movement, a subject matter he specialized in. Unfortunately, the school district canceled the event shortly before it was supposed to take place. This decision was made to ensure that the materials did not violate Florida’s new regulation, which prohibits the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools.
However, supporters of these initiatives to restrict discussions of race argue that some teachings and materials propagate the idea that a person’s character is determined by their race or sex.
Chris Sprowls, the House Speaker and a Republican representing Pinellas County, emphasized in a written statement that these movements have attempted to hijack the important conversation on race and use it as a means to attack various institutions, ranging from capitalism to the fundamental concept of objective truth in the sciences.
Sprowls also stated that they aim to exploit the mistakes of the past to silence dissent in the present. HB 7 is intended to ensure that workplaces and schools in Florida provide an environment in which healthy dialogues about race and diversity can occur, while recognizing that we are all unique individuals first and foremost.
Florida Phoenix, which is part of the States Newsroom network, is a 501c(3) public charity supported by grants and a coalition of donors. Florida Phoenix maintains its editorial independence. For any inquiries, please contact Editor Diane Rado at info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
Related: Sign up for Newsletter to receive stories like these directly in your inbox.
