Anti-DEI policies had strange real-life consequences last week, when a Florida A&M University (FAMU) student was told to remove the word “Black” from a flyer promoting a Black History Month event.
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Law student Aaliyah Stewart told an Orlando news outlet that a faculty member was concerned that using “black” on school signage would violate Florida law, which prohibits public universities from using state funds for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
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Stewart said Black History Month can only be used in promotional materials if the abbreviation “BHM” is used. She added that the words “affirmative action” and “women” were also banned.
“I’m very angry and confused because this is a historically black college and university,” Stewart said. “They said we can’t use the word ‘Negro,’ which is kind of crazy.”
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Initially, the school issued a statement saying the faculty member’s guidance complied with state law.
“Florida A&M University has always been in full compliance with Senate Bill 266 and Board of Governors Regulation 9.016. We support and implement DEI-related policy directions set by the Governor, Legislature, and Board of Governors and are consistent with relevant federal court rulings,” the statement read.
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However, the media backlash appears to have led the university to reassess. In a statement obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, Cecil Howard, vice provost and interim dean of the Florida A&M University School of Law, reframed the incident as a “staff-level error” stemming from the faculty member’s “overly cautious” interpretation of state law.
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Howard said the school then consulted with a higher education legal expert, who confirmed that writing the word “Negro” did not violate any laws. Although it was eventually resolved, Stewart said her BHM event needed to be postponed because the school “effectively ignored” her complaint until the public intervened.
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Online, the situation attracted a lot of attention, with many highlighting how sad it was to see anti-Black censorship at a historically Black university. One user said: “Imagine you’re planning a Black History Month event and are told you can’t even use the word ‘black’ at an HBCU.”
Another said: “An HBCU asking a student to take the word ‘Negro’ off a flyer? I smell Republican.”
Many wonder how black students can still attend FAMU under these circumstances. Others went further, warning black people not to fully support Florida’s economy.
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While sad, most agree it’s not surprising given Florida’s history of racist policies.
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What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
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