by Stacy Jackson

May 16, 2023

Black Thinkers, Leaders Respond to Ron DeSantis’ Latest Move to Defund DEI Programs

After news broke about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a bill to defund Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs at Florida public schools, Black leaders and thinkers took to Twitter to voice their perspectives on his latest legislation.

Philly native Becky Pringle is the president of the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the U.S. of nearly three million educators advocating for students and their own professions. Pringle voiced her concern that politicians who censor curriculum are harming students.

“We must diversify the education profession,” the middle school teacher added to her thread. “We must encourage more college students of color to enter the profession and demand that this nation identify and address the barriers that prevent people of color from becoming the incredible educators they have the potential to be.”

Shervin “Shev” Jones, a Florida State Senator representing District 34, believes the bill is a disservice to students, and DeSantis is more focused on educators indoctrinating students and with his own ideology.

Jemele Hill, a contributing writer to The Atlantic, openly expressed that if she were petty, she’d give Florida residents, who send their children to learn out-of-state, a discounted tuition.

Twitter users like writer Joel D. Anderson and Oscar and Emmy-winning film director, Travon, had parallel perspectives on Black athletes ceasing attendance at Florida institutions as a way to boycott schools affected by the bill.

Paris journalist Louis Pisado addressed Black folks who applauded DeSantis for his anti-LGBTQ+ bills.

A Black Twitter user, who goes by Serious Black, shared thoughts that “Desantis wants to do to America what he’s doing to Florida.”
Minister and Harvard professor Cornell William Brooks emphasized looking out for signs saying “WOKE” or DEI, adding that the new anti-woke is the OG racism.

Ben Crump couldn’t preach the significance of Black America showing up to vote loud enough.

Madiba K. Dennie, a woman who has worked as counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, providing legal and policy analysis regarding a range of democracy issues, including attempts to disempower communities of color, was straightforward about how bad she feels things have gotten.


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