Key facts
- A federal appeals court has rejected Florida's 'Stop Woke' Act.
- The court ruled that parts of the law violate the First Amendment's free speech protections.
- The law restricted discussions on race and gender in higher education.
- The ruling upholds a previous injunction against the law.
- The 'Stop Woke' Act was enacted in 2022.
- The law aimed to prevent instruction causing psychological distress due to race, color, sex, or national origin.
- The court found the state's regulation of classroom discourse to be overly broad.
- The law was challenged by university professors and students.
- The ruling means the state cannot enforce the challenged provisions in universities and colleges.
A federal appeals court has rejected Florida's 'Stop Woke' Act, determining that significant portions of the law restricting discussions on race and gender in higher education violate the First Amendment's free speech protections. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a previous injunction that had blocked the law, which was enacted in 2022. The law, officially known as the Individual Freedom Act, aimed to prevent instruction or training that would cause an individual to feel guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race, color, sex, or national origin.
The court's decision focused on the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech, finding that the state's attempt to regulate classroom discourse on sensitive topics was overly broad. The law had been challenged by university professors and students who argued it chilled academic freedom and restricted their ability to teach and learn about important social issues. The appeals court agreed that the state's broad prohibitions on certain topics in higher education settings infringed upon the free exchange of ideas.