In a significant ruling, a federal appeals court has struck down restrictions imposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers regarding race-related issues in workplace training. The court deemed these restrictions, part of the controversial 2022 law dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act,” as a violation of First Amendment rights.
The three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injunction issued by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in 2022.
The law, challenged by various entities including Primo Tampa, LLC, Honeyfund.com, Inc., and Chevara Orrin and her company, Collective Concepts, LLC, faced scrutiny for its impact on workplace training programs.
The law targeted certain race-related concepts, stipulating that any program or activity compelling employees to believe these concepts would constitute discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin.
However, the appeals court rejected the state’s argument that the law regulated conduct rather than speech, stating that it clearly targeted speech based on its content.
The court emphasized the importance of the First Amendment in protecting speech, even speech that may be deemed offensive. It noted that the government cannot favor certain viewpoints over others without violating the First Amendment.
The ruling was praised by the plaintiffs and their attorney, Shalini Goel Agarwal, who emphasized the importance of protecting free speech in the workplace.
Antonio McBroom, CEO of Primo Tampa, stated that the government should not have the right to dictate what can be said in workplaces, highlighting the need to respect diverse viewpoints.
This ruling has implications not just for Florida but for similar efforts in other states to regulate speech in workplace training programs. It reaffirms the protection of free speech as a fundamental right guaranteed by the First Amendment.
