DeSantis's 'Stop W.O.K.E.' legislation would make teaching CRT in Florida classrooms 'illegal': Rufo

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DeSantis presses for ban on critical race theory from schools and workplaces.

Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo shares details on the Stop WOKE Act in Florida on 'Fox News Primetime.'

Critical race theory opponent Christopher Rufo praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for introducing legislation to ban the ideology in classrooms and corporate settings statewide.

The Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act (Stop W.O.K.E. Act) will go "on the offense against both corporate wokeness and critical race theory in our schools," according to its press release.  

Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute who played a vital role in drafting the legislation, told Fox News on Thursday the law "abolishes and bans racialist abuse in the classroom and in the workplace."

DESANTIS TAKES ON CRT TRAINING IN SCHOOLS AND CORPORATE AMERICA

"It codifies exactly what that means and then gives parents and employees the actual ability to sue schools and employers that racially stereotype, scapegoat, or demean them on the basis of race," Rufo told "Fox News Primetime."

He called it "common-sense legislation," adding that it "basically evens the playing field of our civil rights law" and is "a huge step forward."

Christopher Rufo played a vital role in drafting the key legislation. (Photo courtesy of Christopher Rufo)

The legislation will give employees a private cause of action against discrimination in the workplace, grant parents and students a private cause of action against "indoctrinating practices" in education, protect teachers who are "pushing back against unlawful mandates from their elected district leadership," and allows the State Board of Education to have enforcement authority in K-12 settings, according to the release.

The law would make the practice of teaching CRT in the classroom "illegal" and return the power of education to the parents, Rufo said.

"Parents can actually take this to the principal school board attorney general and into the court to say, ‘If you are promoting racialist ideology, you are abusing kids, you are violating the law,’ and then the parents can actually win legal fees in return," he continued.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced the Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

"It gives power to parents to enforce it at the very local level … it’s about taking power away from unaccountable bureaucrats and giving power back to parents," he said.

Parents nationally have risen in protest against CRT-themed lessons and trainings for teachers. 

While many school districts insist that they do not teach CRT to students — defining CRT as a college-level or law school class — an increasing number of them have adopted notions of "White privilege" and "institutional racism" tracing back to CRT, and others have hired notorious "anti-racism" advocates like Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ibram X. Kendi to speak to teachers.

"It’s designed to divide us, and we have to put our foot down," Rufo said, encouraging parents to "rise up and say, ‘We won’t tolerate racist abuse, we won’t tolerate racial segregation, and we won’t tolerate a curriculum that tarnishes the United States and seeks to destroy our fundamental and funding institutions.’"

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Rufo pointed to a viral tweet where he exposed a Colorado elementary school that advertised a segregated playground event exclusively for "families of color."

"It's so toxic — it’s absurd," he said. "It’s just disgusting that we even have to consider this."