A judge with the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida blocked part of the Stop WOKE Act from taking effect.
Chief US District Judge Mark Walker said that Florida's attempt to censor certain viewpoints related to race and gender was a violation of free speech.
The bill signed into law in April would limit how schools and employers discuss race and gender, as well as how private companies conduct diversity, equity, and inclusion training.
In blocking the part of the law that applied to college professors, students, and even guest speakers, Walker said "the State of Florida has taken over the'marketplace of ideas' to suppress unfavorable viewpoints and limit where professors may shine their light on eight specific ideas."
The State of Florida's decision to choose which viewpoints are worthy of illumination and which must remain in the shadows has implications for us all. Democracy will die in darkness if our priests of democracy are not allowed to shed light on challenging ideas. The State of Florida can't muzzle its university professors, impose its own orthodoxy of viewpoints, or cast us all into the dark.
Insider was told by the press office that it would appeal.
Several victories were included in the recent ruling. The press secretary said that they expected many more to prevail. Judge Walker's preliminary injunction orders on the enforcement of the Stop W.O.K.E. Act were not in line with what we believe to be the law.
He said that the law protects the open exchange of ideas by prohibiting teachers or employers who hold agency over others from forcing discrimination on students as part of classroom instruction.
The part of the law that affected companies with 15 employees or more was dismissed as a violation of free speech.
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