Washington DC — Following news that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill barring Florida’s public colleges from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, People For the American Way released the following statement:

“We strongly object to these repeated attacks on the freedom to learn. Censorship of books, art and speech is a tool of fascist and authoritarian regimes and is antithetical to the American Way. We are especially concerned about the Right’s attempt to silence the voices of people of color and the LGBTQ community, and to suppress the accurate teaching of American history. This is a disservice to students who deserve a well-rounded education and to a nation that relies on a well-educated citizenry to sustain our democracy and our competitiveness on the world stage.”