Florida judge blocks parts of Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed 'Stop WOKE Act,' saying the state has turned into the upside-down world from 'Stranger Things'

Business Insider ^ | 18 Aug, 2022 | Kimberly Leonard

[MtnClimber]

A federal judge has suspended partial enforcement of Florida's "Stop WOKE Act," a bill backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that restricts how companies and schools discuss race.

DeSantis signed the bill into law in April. It would limit race-based teachings in schools, and the way that private companies carry out mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings. Companies that have 15 employees or more could face civil lawsuits if they're accused of violating the law.

In his opinion, Chief US District Judge Mark Walker blocked the employer portion of the law, saying it violated free speech. He compared the law to Netflix's blockbuster science-fiction hit, "Stranger Things."

"In the popular television series Stranger Things, the 'upside down' describes a parallel dimension containing a distorted version of our world," Walker, a nominee of then-President Barack Obama, wrote in his opinion. "Recently, Florida has seemed like a First Amendment upside down."

"Normally, the First Amendment bars the state from burdening speech, while private actors may burden speech freely," Walker continued. "But in Florida, the First Amendment apparently bars private actors from burdening speech, while the state may burden speech freely."

The governor's press office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. When DeSantis signed the bill into law he issued a statement likening the trainings and teachings to "indoctrination," saying, "no one should be instructed to feel as if they are not equal or shamed because of their race."

[Wuli]

The judge is right, on the side of private companies and their free speech rights.

However, that still leaves the possibility of civil suits by those companies employees, on civil rights and frfee speech grounds, depending on the speciics of the CRT training and any employer attempts, by policy, to force employees to adobt the CRT beliefs.

[semimojo]

The judge is right, on the side of private companies and their free speech rights.

As it relates to private companies this law is about as clear cut a violation of the 1st as you could get.

I'm disappointed, though not surprised, at the number of people here who cheer it just because they think it hurts their enemies.

[JackFromTexas]

I forget where & who it came from, but we are seeing it live in front of us:
When all the world is insane, they will see a sane person and cry out ‘You are MAD!’

[Jacquerie]

Just call someone “n!gger” at your workplace and see how far the 1st Amendment protects free speech.

[Gunslingr3]

Just call someone “n!gger” at your workplace and see how far the 1st Amendment protects free speech.

The first amendment is a restraint on government. If you want to say that to people at your business you’re free to. You own the business, right? Or is it someone else’s? If someone else owns it you might have to follow their rules if you want to use that language, but they’re not the government.

It’s similar to how the owner of this site is free to enforce rules on language. What would violate the first amendment would be Congress trying to forbid you from using that word on this site.