February 29, 2024
The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) has joined a nonpartisan coalition of 20 groups in providing written testimony of opposition to SB 1372/HB 1291: Educator Preparation Programs. These bills contain the requirement that educator preparation programs at both public and private institutions cannot, among other things, "include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics" or "distort[s] significant historical events," or "is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities."
In a letter to Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, the organizations stated that the bill's language is "intentionally vague."
"We urge the Florida legislature to vote no on SB 1372 and HB 1291 because of serious concerns that these bills are not constitutionally viable, are overly vague, and are examples of viewpoint discrimination that are contrary to free speech and expression," the letter stated.
In addition to NADOHE, members of the coalition that signed the letter include United Faculty of Florida; the Florida Education Association; the Woodhull Freedom Foundation; PEN America; the American Civil Liberties Union, Florida; Equality Florida; Defending Rights & Dissent; Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression; EducateUS; Freedom to Read Foundation; American Federation of Teachers; Citizens for Truth and Justice in Education; American Historical Association; Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida; Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami; American Sociological Association; National Council of Teachers of English; Florida Council of Churches; People for the American Way.