11th Circuit Strikes Down Florida's Stop WOKE Act Provisions

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit issued a 2‑1 decision on July 7, 2026 that declared the higher‑education provisions of Florida’s Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees (Stop WOKE) Act unconstitutional, citing First Amendment protections. The law, enacted in 2022 and championed by Governor Ron DeSantis, barred teaching of eight concepts related to race, gender and sexuality. The majority opinion, written by Judge Britt Grant and joined by Judge Charles Wilson, held that “the First Amendment trusts students to figure it out for themselves.”

Governor DeSantis responded on social media, calling the ruling “a clear and unfortunate example of judicial overreach” and defending the state’s right to control university instruction. The dissent was authored by Judge Barbara Lagoa. The case was brought by the ACLU of Florida and other plaintiffs on behalf of professors whose classroom discussions were affected. The decision restores broader speech rights for educators and students in Florida’s public universities.