Florida college students plan statewide walkout against Gov. DeSantis: 'This is our fight for freedom'
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida college students are planning a statewide walkout Thursday in protest of recent education-related efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis, including his policies targeting LGBTQ+ and people of color.
Organized by the Florida College Democrats and Dream Defenders, "Stand for Freedom" is a statewide movement and walkout scheduled for noon on Thursday across Florida college campuses. Participants in the movement and walkout are calling on the DeSantis administration to restore diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in colleges and universities, according to the "Stand for Freedom" pledge.
The demonstration will demand bringing an end to what organizers say is "the DeSantis administration's attacks on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC students, faculty and staff."
The protest follows DeSantis' announcement last month to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion efforts made in previous years across Florida campuses. DeSantis' announcement is only the latest in his initiatives to scrutinize academic freedom.
"We are Florida’s students and citizens. It is our education that is being tarnished and our schools being discredited," the movement's pledge states. "This is our fight for freedom."
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'Stand for Freedom' movement, walkout
As the walkout is being planned on college campuses such as Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of South Florida, participants are being encouraged to wear all-black clothing and to bring posters and pride flags.
"We are asking that you walk out of your classes, jobs, and other obligations to meet at your campus student center," the host organizations said on Instagram.
According to the organizations, as of Saturday, more than 1,000 students across Florida have signed up to walk out on Thursday.
The organizations also wrote on the movement's pledge that they have received significant signees from lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost and Florida state Reps. Michelle Rayner, Anna Eskamani, and Angie Nixon.
The demonstration comes after a protest held on Florida State University's campus on Feb. 8, where 50 people rallied against DeSantis' initiatives.
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DeSantis' 'attacks' on campus diversity programs
In addition to DeSantis' plans to cut funding from diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across public universities and colleges in Florida, DeSantis previously signed a bill to ban critical race theory to be taught in schools in 2022.
He also vowed to block the College Board's Advanced Placement African American Studies class from being taught in Florida high schools.
The class had been in development for more than a decade, according to College Board's website. But the class was rejected by the state's Department of Education, citing on Jan. 12 that the class is "inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value."
Contributing: Ana Goñi-Lessan, Douglas Soule, and Kathryn Varn, Paste BN Network