Judge completely blocks a part of Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ as unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds

A federal judge on Friday permanently blocked part of Florida’s “Stop Woke Act” that was pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and other GOP lawmakers to ban critical race theory training in the workplace and in education.

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted a permanent injunction against the part of the law that prohibited race-related training in private workplaces, ruling that the 2022 law violated the First Amendment.

The “Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act,” otherwise known as the “Stop WOKE Act,” sought to ban teachings or business practices that tell individuals that members of one ethnic group are inherently racist and should feel guilty of past actions committed by people of that ethnic group. 

It also prohibits pushing the idea that a person was either privileged or oppressed based on their race or gender. The law further bars the notion that discrimination is acceptable to achieve diversity.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT BLOCKS PART OF DESANTIS’ ‘STOP WOKE ACT’ ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gives a political speech at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, April 1, 2023, in Garden City, New York.  (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

It said a mandated training program or other activity that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin,” citing eight race-related concepts.

“[This is] a powerful reminder that the First Amendment cannot be warped to serve the interests of elected officials,” read a statement from counsel Shalini Goel Agarwal of Protect Democracy, which represented the plaintiffs in this case.

The portion of the law focused on education is unaffected by the ruling.

DeSantis has often referred to the law when saying that Florida was where “woke goes to die.”

FEDERAL JUDGE HANDS DESANTIS ADMIN WIN OVER ‘STOP WOKE ACT’

Gov. DeSantis has often referred to the law when saying that Florida was where “woke goes to die.” (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

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Walker previously issued a preliminary injunction in 2022 when he ruled the workplace portion of the law unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling in March.

Separately, Walker has also issued a preliminary injunction against the part of the law that would restrict how race-related concepts can be taught in Florida’s colleges and universities, according to Fox 35. An appeals court panel held a hearing in that case last month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.