Florida’s Board of Education permanently banned the use of taxpayer funding Wednesday for DEI at public colleges, based on SB 266 which was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last May. File photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 17 (UPI) — Florida’s Board of Education announced a new rule Wednesday “to permanently prohibit” the use of state or federal funds for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs or activities at public colleges throughout the state.
The new rule applies to 28 schools within the Florida College System, including Seminole State College of Florida, Valencia College, Florida State College at Jacksonville and others that serve large populations of Black and Latino students.
“Higher education must return to its essential foundations of academic integrity and the pursuit of knowledge instead of being corrupted by destructive ideologies,” Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. said in a statement.
“These actions today ensure that we will not spend taxpayers’ money supporting DEI and radical indoctrination that promotes division in our society,” Diaz added.
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Florida’s Board of Education defines DEI as “any program, campus activity or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”
DEI professionals define DEI as correcting inequities within an organization for marginalized groups.
“The Florida State Board of Education has implemented new ‘strict regulations’ to prohibit the use of public funds for DEI programs, activities and policies at 28 state college campuses,” civil rights activist and attorney Ben Crump wrote Wednesday in a post on X. “We continue to go down a misguided path of censorship in Florida!”
The new regulations are based on S.B. 266, which was passed in May 2023 by Florida’s state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who called DEI programs “discriminatory initiatives.”
On Wednesday, Florida’s Board of Education also announced it would replace the course “Principles of Sociology” with a comprehensive general education course on American history.
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“The aim is to provide students with an accurate and factual account of the nation’s past, rather than exposing them to radical woke ideologies, which had become commonplace in the now-replaced course,” the board said.
This Week in South Florida Full Episode: March 1, 2026
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — On the latest episode of “This Week in South Florida” host Janine Stanwood welcomes President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Broward County Audra Berg, Secretary General of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, Division Director of Flood Control and Water Supply Planning for the South Florida Water Management District Carolina Maran, State Rep. Juan Carlos Porras and State Rep. Kevin Chambliss.
The full episode can be seen at the top of this page.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
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Janine Stanwood
Janine Stanwood is a Emmy award-winning reporter and anchor. She joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor.
South Florida leaders are taking preventative measures to keep residents safe after the U.S. and Israel launched major strikes on Iran early Saturday morning.
Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella-Levine Cava issued a statement reacting to the military operation that President Trump dubbed on Truth Social as “Operation Epic Fury.”
The statement reads: “The escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran poses serious risks to regional stability and international safety.”
She goes on to say that her thoughts are “with the people of Israel and the Jewish community here in South Florida who are watching these events with worry and uncertainty.” She also says the Iranian people “deserve peace, safety, dignity, and the freedom to live without repression.”
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Of the Trump administration’s decision to launch the military operation, Levine-Cava writes: “Any military action taken without congressional authorization is a dangerous precedent, and we must learn from our nation’s past challenges. What must come next is a serious effort to restore stability and pursue diplomacy, not further violence.”
As for measures she will be taking, she says she asked her Chief of Public Safety to “ensure public safety agencies are aware and ready to activate plans in case of any disruption.”
The Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz also issued a statement saying that MDSO is “taking immediate security measures by increasing patrols to ensure the safety of our residents.” She said that they have increased security presence around places of worship, cultural centers, and schools.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the servicemen and women protecting our national security interests around the globe,” Cordero-Stutz wrote.
Aventura Police have also responded to the current situation on X, saying that they are monitoring the “current situation in the Middle East with our local, state, and federal partners.”
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@aventurapoliceis monitoring the current situation in the Middle East with our local, state and federal partners. At this time there are no known or credible threats to the US or Miami-Dade County. In an abundance of caution, we have implemented a heightened security posture with directed patrols at our religious facilities and other sensitive locations throughout @cityofaventuraWe will continue to monitor and report any suspicious behavior.https://x.com/aventurapolice/status/2027787245164335222/photo/1
X/Aventura Police
They go on to say: “At this time, there are no known or credible threats to the U.S. or Miami-Dade County.” However, they note that in “an abundance of caution,” they will be increasing security in religious facilities and other locations they deem as “sensitive” throughout the city.
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The City of Miami Beach also posted its statement to X, saying it is also “closely monitoring the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” They also note that at this time, there are no known credible threats to the city.
They write: “Out of an abundance of caution, we have increased our uniformed presence at synagogues, schools, and other key locations citywide. We remain in close coordination with our law enforcement partners and leaders within the faith-based community.”
Miami Beach Police Department Increases Patrols Ahead of Purim Amid Ongoing Middle East Conflicthttps://x.com/MiamiBeachPD/status/2027752171173773807/photo/1
X/Miami Beach Police
They also urge residents to report any “suspicious or unlawful activity” to call their non-emergency number at 305-673-7901 or, if it is an emergency, call 911.
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Other cities’ police departments, such as Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach, and Hallendale Beach, posted on their social media that they will also increase security measures after the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.