Tarah Jean,Tallahassee Democrat
Thu, February 9, 2023
Students at Florida State University are taking a stand against Governor Ron DeSantis’s efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs from their campus and other ones across Florida.
Led by Students for a Democratic Society, a political student activist organization, about 50 individuals — which included Florida A&M University students and other community members — gathered Wednesday at 6 p.m. to march from the Legacy Fountain on FSU’s Landis Green to the Westcott Building.
“Even though FSU is a PWI (predominantly white institution), white students are not the only students at FSU,” Isabela Casanoba, a second-year graduate student at FSU pursuing a degree in education, told the Tallahassee Democrat.
“There are plenty of Black students, Asian students, Middle Eastern students and more on campus,” said Casanoba, who is president of the organization. “Just because they are minorities, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be represented in our curriculum and in our social spaces.”
While marching, the students yelled out chants such as “We won’t go back, we will fight back” and “Money for schools and education, not for racist legislation.”
Related news:
Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, speaks to students and community members gathered at Florida State University on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’s push to defund and close diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campuses.
While most of the participants of the rally were students, a few faculty members — including FSU's Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor Maxine Montgomery — marched in support of the students as well.
Montgomery, who was appointed to chair the FSU President's Task Force on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion by former President John Thrasher in 2020-2021, recorded the protesters from the back of the group as she chimed in with their chants along the way.
Signs were held up high with the phrases "Hands off our schools” and “You can’t erase us.”
DeSantis has called such diversity, equity and inclusion programs "trendy ideology," and made their dismantling a key part of his so-called war on woke.
“I think DeSantis’ intent is to white-wash history, to normalize racism and exclude any former version of realistic Black history, queer history and trans history,” FSU alumna Delilah Pierre said.
She graduated from the university in 2019 with a degree in creative writing and is now the president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, an organization that fights for peace, justice and equality.
“If we don’t take a stand now against what DeSantis is doing, we’re going to create an environment in our public colleges and grade schools that totally distorts history,” 24-year-old Pierre said.
DeSantis in the headlines:
DeSantis wants to know how much Florida colleges spend on 'trendy ideology'
More:DeSantis pushes Florida universities to the right, targeting tenure, diversity initiatives
More:DeSantis pushes Florida universities to the right, targeting tenure, diversity initiatives
Students and community members gather and march at Florida State University on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’s push to defund and close diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campuses.
Recent reports show that FSU spends over $2.4 million on DEI programs, with $2.2 million funded by the state. FAMU spends a total of $4.4 million with the state funded portion being $4.1 million.
“We call on FSU to not allow this to go through, and I call on my school to not capitulate,” FAMU student Tim White said from the steps of the Westcott Building.
White — who goes by "Tewa" — is a student on break this semester who will be entering his senior year at FAMU this fall.
“I truly do not want to see this happen to an HBCU (historically Black college or university) here or anywhere else," they added. "We are going to fight it every day that we can."
More:A detailed look at how much FSU, FAMU spend on diversity, equity and inclusion programs
The Students for a Democratic Society plans to continue holding rallies and is also working on mobilizing support from other chapters of the organization across the state.
FSU junior Jason Carles marches at Florida State University on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’s push to defund and close diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campuses.
A list of demands will also be sent to FSU President Richard McCullough, according to the organization’s Vice President Eric Carson. They include:
Protect all multicultural studies
Increase Black enrollment and professors
Protects trans students and athletes
Listen to students and oppose DeSantis
Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.
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