Florida sues Biden admin for college accreditation.

Florida Governor Takes on “Woke” Ideology in Education

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is not backing down in his fight against “woke” ideology infiltrating the state’s colleges and universities. In a bold move, he announced a lawsuit against Biden’s Department of Education to challenge accrediting agencies’ power over these institutions.

Joined by Attorney General Ashley Moody, DeSantis held a news conference on June 22 to announce the lawsuit. The lawsuit challenges a federal requirement that public postsecondary schools must receive approval from private accreditors to receive billions of dollars in federal education funds.

DeSantis, a popular Republican governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate, has gained a reputation as a culture warrior. He has been vocal about his opposition to Disney and his belief that Florida is where “woke goes to die.”

The governor argues that the current accrediting agency over Florida is obstructing his efforts to increase transparency, accountability, and eliminate “destructive” political ideologies on campus that stifle free speech and oppose Western civilization’s principles.

“I don’t think the purpose of universities is to impose an ideological agenda,” DeSantis stated. “There should be freedom of discussion, freedom of speech, and there shouldn’t be an imposition of an orthodoxy.”

Moody expressed her support during the press conference, stating that colleges and universities have been held “hostage” for too long by accreditors. She praised DeSantis for his leadership in fighting to take back the public postsecondary education system from unelected private organizations with no accountability or oversight.

The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of Florida Fort Lauderdale Division, names Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and other U.S. Education Department officials. It argues that the current accreditation scheme is unconstitutional as it grants unelected academics unchecked power over public institutions.

DeSantis emphasized that “accrediting cartels” should not have the power to deny students federal loans and grants, which would happen without accreditation.

According to a press release from DeSantis, accrediting agencies controlling Florida colleges and universities have used their power to control operations by threatening to withhold accreditation if institutions do not adhere to their promoted ideological agenda.

State law requires more than half of Florida’s public colleges and universities to change accreditors in the next two years.

The Biden administration responded to this legislation with three “guidance documents” specifically targeting Florida but failed to address the request to change accreditors.

“Their ability to do so is substantially burdened, if not entirely prevented, by the Biden administration’s abuse of the current accreditation scheme,” the press release stated.

The tension between the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which accredits universities in red states like Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and North Carolina, and DeSantis has been escalating over the past year.

In 2022, DeSantis signed legislation requiring secondary educational institutions to seek accreditation from different accreditors in consecutive cycles.

Earlier this year, DeSantis made headlines by overhauling public liberal arts institution New College of Florida. He appointed board members who prioritize a classical liberal education over teaching “woke” ideology.

Furthermore, DeSantis signed legislation to defund Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at colleges, calling them a “scam” that promotes political indoctrination.

Florida’s stance on DEI directly opposes SACS, which supports and encourages its institutions’ leadership role in promoting and sustaining diversity, equity, and inclusion.