SPLC Action Fund: Censorship Bills Will Have a Profound Negative Impact on Students, Workers and Our Democracy

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the Florida House passed HB 7, a censorship bill that amplifies the efforts of a white nationalist movement to ban honest dialogue about race in schools and work environments. A similar bill, HB 1557, that restricts classroom discussions about gender and LGBTQ rights issues also passed the House today. 

The following statement is from Bacardi Jackson, Children’s Rights interim deputy legal director for the SPLC Action Fund.

“Schools and businesses have an obligation to uphold the democratic ideals that make our pluralistic society possible. These ideals require honestly examining our history in ways that promote respect and understanding among people from all walks of life. Banning books, denying children the right to learn and criminalizing teachers for providing knowledge and teaching critical thinking skills are marks of fascism, not the ‘land of the free.’

“The passage of HB7 and HB 1557 in the Florida House is part of a shameless nationwide effort to censor difficult and uncomfortable facts about our country. It instills a culture of willful ignorance that would force educators and employers to disregard the experiences of Black, Indigenous and other people of color, as well as LGBTQ people and allow hostility and ignorance to fester. 

“Indeed, if this concerted effort has taught us anything, it is that we have a long road before democracy is secure and freedom or equality a reality. And, by stifling our freedom to learn, these bills would doom us to repeat the mistakes of our past. HB 7 would reinstate the conventions of the antebellum South when the perspective and comfort of only wealthy white men mattered. HB 1557 would render inclusivity illegal and ban discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBTQ children vulnerable to the kind of hate and bullying that ignorance fosters. Along with these bills, and on the heels of a promise by Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to police teachers and get ‘c---y liberal stuff’ out of classrooms, another lawmaker has even introduced legislation to force teachers to wear audio recording devices in their classrooms.

“Such bills grounded in scare tactics reminiscent of the McCarthy Era, introduced at the urging of Governor Ron DeSantis, wage an all-out attack on workers, educators, families, children and our democracy. And, if signed into law, they would have a profound negative impact on school climate and protections for non-white, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ people. They also pave the way for an inferior education that puts all students at a disadvantage for their future.

“Elected officials should prioritize protecting democracy and defending the principles of freedom and justice for all. Until those principles are realized, each of us must work vigorously to stop the enactment of these harmful bills and policies and use every tool to overturn them if they do become law.” 

For resources to support an honest education in our nation’s schools, visit www.LearningforJustice.org.