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The NAACP, a former civil rights group, sent a letter to NCAA president Charlie Baker on Monday asking Black student-athletes to reconsider attending public colleges and universities in Florida.
The letter is in response to the dismantling of Marxist Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs throughout the state.
In January, The Florida Board of Governors passed a regulation limiting public funding for DEI programs, defining them as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”
The regulation also prevents any expenditures for programs that ‘engage in political or social activism.’
In his letter to the NCAA, NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson wrote, “To all current and prospective college student-athletes – the NAACP urges you to reconsider any potential decision to attend, and compete at a predominantly white institution in the state of Florida.”
“This is not about politics. It’s about the protection of our community, the progression of our culture, and most of all, it’s about your education, and you,” the letter continued.
Johnson said in a statement, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount to ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes. The value Black and other college athletes bring to large universities is unmatched. If these institutions are unable to completely invest in those athletes, it’s time they take their talents elsewhere.”
Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the measure prohibiting colleges and universities from spending money on DEI programs.
“In reality, what this concept of DEI has been is an attempt to impose orthodoxy on the university. And not even necessarily in the classroom, but through the administrative apparatus of the university itself,” DeSantis said.
The Gateway Pundit reported that The University of Florida recently fired all of its DEI staff in response to the new regulation.
A memo to staff stated, “To comply with the Florida Board of Governor’s regulation 9.016 on prohibited expenditures, the University of Florida has closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, eliminated DEI positions and administrative appointments, and halted DEI-focused contracts with outside vendors,” the memo read.
Florida is where DEI goes to die… https://t.co/1PsGgHE6nP
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) March 1, 2024
The annual cost of DEI at…
University of Michigan: $30 million
Ohio State: $20 million
UVA: $20 million
University of Wisconsin: $16 million
University of Florida: $0
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) March 6, 2024
In 2023, the NAACP issued a travel advisory to the state claiming Florida is “openly hostile to black Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ individuals.”
Read the full letter below:
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