Ron DeSantis Proposes $10M For HBCU Security In Florida—Is It Enough?

Leadership at the Dayton Beach-based school has expressed concerns about safety for years.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ new proposed budget designates $10 million toward security for the state’s HBCUs.

As HBCUs nationwide have faced numerous security threats in 2023, DeSantis wants to make sure what happened close to the Edward Waters University campus in Jacksonville never happens again after three people were killed at a Dollar General in a predominately Black neighborhood during August’s racially motivated attack.

In 2022, Bethune-Cookman University received a threat of a bomb being on campus.

Leadership at the Dayton Beach-based school has expressed concerns about safety for years.

“This is not his first opportunity to help HBCUs, and this is a big step in helping us where we truly need help,” Bethune-Cookman representative Belvin Perry Jr. said. While the school has taken security measures into its own hand—including adding over 1,000 cameras and having a security force in place, they hope the recent budget proposal will help them add more.

“More permitter fencing areas,” Perry added. “Closing a lot of entry and exit points to the university with permitter fencing.”

The budget, marketed as the “Focus on Florida’s Future,” earmarks $2.5 million each for the state’s historically Black colleges and universities, including Florida A&M State University and Florida Memorial University, but also addresses safety for schools with a predominantly Jewish audience, according to The Miami Times.

The Florida Legislature passed legislation in November 2023 promising $45 million for physical security funding for schools, with $25 million for Jewish day schools and $20 million for the Division of Emergency Management. Funds are required to be dispersed in locations with an “elevated threat level.”

Some lawmakers don’t think the proposed number is enough to guarantee safety on HBCU campuses. “While the governor appropriately proposes measures to address Jewish student safety, I was struck by the conspicuous absence of protections for historically Black colleges and universities as they face a troubling increase of campus threats,” FAMU alum Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-FL) said in a statement.

“Our goal must be safety across the board – not just for some communities.”

The controversial governor’s support of HBCUs may receive side eye treatment after his move to defund diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in Florida. In March 2023, DeSantis signed HB 999, which bans any program promoting DEI at the college level throughout the state.