By Pat Bryant*
The bill would end diversity and inclusion programs, special courses in ethnic studies, change tenue professor rules, give the Board of Governors power over what is taught and credentials of teaching staff, and bring an end to ethnic groups like the NAACP and fraternities. The speeches, attended by sparce media, went on for two hours under cloudy skies. Most of these students were white and women, with about half Black, nearly all under 25. Some declared the Board of Governors not representative, 14 of the 17 members, were appointed by Governor DeSantis, one teacher and one Black, a financier/investor. Critical of dystopian changes of DeSantis, the group claimed the Board of Governors, which oversees public universities not representative of Florida’s populace and called for them to resign, which will not occur. DeSantis enjoys a veto proof legislature that will pass anything he suggests.
The Board of Governors meeting would follow the rally, later in the day, with questionable student or community input. Some students hinted, that non-violent civil disobedience my get deployed against DeSantis and the Board of Governors in the future.
24-year Austin Rolette, a University of North Florida 2022 graduate says the current University of North Florida president is trying to dissolve the Black Student Union, dissolve diversity and inclusion programs. ‘I am here to protest, encourage people to vote, and other activities to get freedom,” he said.
Maisy Davis, 21-year-old student was critical of the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs saying they ”helped recruit Blacks to the universities but they are critical in supporting Black students once they are enrolled.”
There were more than 20 groups represented, even one of Black medical students called Black Men in Medicine.
*Pat Bryant is a southern based journalist.