Keywords

anti-woke, Diversity Equity Inclusion, House Bill 7, House Bill 999, Senate Bill 266, critical race theory in education

Abstract

The events immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic, to include the uptick of hate crimes against Asian-Americans and the murder of George Floyd had a profound impact on public awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion issues. Where initially it appeared, public perception was supportive of the work- in recent years it has come under increasing scrutiny particularly within the academic space. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work specifically anti-racism has become increasingly polarizing. The decline in public perception of DEI work was marked by the use of simplified catchphrases like woke agendas and CRT in reference to schools. With then presidential hopeful, Governor DeSantis positioning his Southeastern state as the place “where woke goes to die” (DeSantis, 2023 para 3) a flurry of policies (i.e., HB 7, HB 999/SB 266) were introduced as the proposed remedy to his state’s cultural wars. These “anti-DEI” policies have had a profound impact on professionals within academic settings. This descriptive phenomenological study examines the experiences of higher education professionals in the wake of “anti-woke” legislation. The findings revealed that anti-woke legislation has significantly shaped the experiences of higher education professionals in several ways. Participants expressed uncertainty about the long-term institutional changes and its impact on professional advancement and student experience, the legitimacy of HB 7, HB 999/SB 266, and the sustainability of DEI work. Additionally, the potential for job loss, the dismantling of departments, and increased surveillance affect on participants’ mental health, self-perception, perception of the profession, and sense of competence.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Marsh, L. Trenton and Olan, Elsie L.

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029002

Language

English

Release Date

12-15-2024

Access Status

Dissertation

Accessibility Status

PDF accessibility verified using Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Checker

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