(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has instructed black athletes to boycott Florida colleges and universities because of the recent de-funding of their diversity, equity and inclusion policies, ESPN reported.
Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, penned a letter to Charlie Baker, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, claiming that the NAACP’s stance was not political but rather a matter of safety and progress.
“This is not about politics,” he claimed. “It’s about the protection of our community, the progression of our culture, and most of all, it’s about your education, and your future.”
Despite claiming political neutrality, Johnson then proceeded to admit that the boycott was a direct response to the policies of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who “has made no effort to conceal his administration’s devaluation of Black America.”
In 2023, DeSantis signed a bill into law prohibiting publicly funded entities from using state money for DEI initiatives. More immediately triggering the letter, however, was the University of Florida’s announcement that it would eliminate its DEI department as part of recent budget cuts.
“From racist voting policies, to unraveling reproductive freedoms and attempting to rewrite Black history, DeSantis has waged war on Black America” via his commitment to “anti-Black ideals,” Johnson claimed.
He urged all current and aspiring college student–athletes to “reconsider any potential decisions to attend, and compete at a predominantly white institution in the state of Florida.”
According to Johnson DEI policies “are paramount to ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes,” without which education might be infused with racism or cultural biases that purportedly tend to work against black “student-athletes.”
