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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

US court strikes down Florida's 'Stop W.O.K.E.' education law

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A U.S. federal appeals court declared Florida's "Stop W.O.K.E." law unconstitutional, ruling it violates free speech rights.
  • The law, which restricts teaching about race and gender in public schools, was challenged by the ACLU and LDF.
  • The ruling has national implications, as over 30 states have pursued similar legislation.

A U.S. federal appeals court has struck down Florida's "Stop W.O.K.E." law, deeming it unconstitutional and a violation of free speech. The ruling specifically targets provisions that prevented educators in higher education from teaching about race and gender in public schools, a key initiative of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

an astonishing assertion of power to prohibit unpopular ideas from public discourse.

— Eleventh Circuit Court of AppealsDescribing the nature of Florida's 'Stop W.O.K.E.' law.

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, described the law as an "astonishing assertion of power to prohibit unpopular ideas from public discourse." The court found that the statute, which aimed to prevent instruction on concepts like racism and sexism, contravened the First Amendment of the Constitution. Judges rejected the state's argument that it could control faculty speech because instructors are publicly funded.

"Florida seeks to evade any First Amendment limitation by haphazardly manipulating various free speech doctrines to create a novel rule that would, in silent fashion, eliminate all free speech protections in classrooms," the court stated. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) on behalf of professors and students affected by the ban.

Florida seeks to evade any First Amendment limitation by haphazardly manipulating various free speech doctrines to create a novel rule that would, in silent fashion, eliminate all free speech protections in classrooms.

— Eleventh Circuit Court of AppealsExplaining why the law violates the First Amendment.

This decision marks the first time a court has ruled on the constitutionality of such prohibitions. The ACLU and LDF highlighted the national impact, noting that over 30 states have enacted similar measures since Florida's law took effect in 2022. The ruling comes amid broader efforts across the U.S. to restrict discussions on race and gender in educational settings, alongside other controversial legislation in Florida concerning LGBTQ+ topics and book bans.

The law 'Stop W.O.K.E.' is a blatant example of widespread efforts across the country, especially in Florida, to force the public education system to adopt the views of those in power.

— Jin Hee LeeDirector of Strategic Initiatives at LDF, commenting on the national implications of the ruling.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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