DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL \u2014 A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court order blocking Florida from enforcing the higher education portions of the Individual Freedom Act, better known as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act.<\/p>\n
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:<\/p>\n
Federal appeals court blocks Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E. Act restrictions on college classrooms<\/p>\n
The 2-to-1 decision from the 11th Circuit found the law’s restrictions on college classroom instruction likely violate the First Amendment.<\/p>\n
The law, approved in 2022, prohibited public colleges and universities from requiring or promoting certain concepts involving race, sex, color, or national origin.<\/p>\n
In its opinion, the court said the law reached too far into the college classroom, writing:<\/p>\n
“Florida’s salary-for-speech rule is a breathtaking assertion of power to ban unpopular ideas…”<\/p>\n
And:<\/p>\n
“If the First Amendment offers any boundary of protection at all for public university classrooms, this statute crosses it.”<\/p>\n
The ruling applies to Florida’s public colleges and universities, including Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee State College. The court also made clear its decision is limited to higher education.<\/p>\n
State Rep. Gallop Franklin represents part of Tallahassee and previously served on Florida’s Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system. Franklin said the decision reinforces the importance of academic freedom while reminding lawmakers that constitutional limits still apply.<\/p>\n
“So this really does open up when I call like freedom of first amendment rights to really have discussions in classrooms because the diverse in my opinion, a diverse ideology and diverse perspective deserves to have a voice,” Franklin said.<\/p>\n
Bruce Strouble, president of Tallahassee Alert and a FAMU graduate, said learning to think critically in college helped shape both his career and his life.<\/p>\n
“Denying that to students set them up for failure,” Strouble said.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know that I would’ve made it as far. I don’t know that I would be the community member and the Civic servant that I am today without that critical aspect of my education to be able to question my surroundings and understand the forces that shape things,” Strouble said.<\/p>\n
I reached out to the Florida Department of Education to ask whether the state plans to appeal the decision and whether new guidance will be issued to Florida’s public colleges and universities. A department spokesperson said my questions would be referred to the Florida Board of Governors. This story will be updated when a response is received.<\/p>\n
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.<\/p>\n
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