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
Identifier
DP0029002
Language
English
Release Date
12-15-2024
Access Status
Dissertation
STARS Citation
Knowles, Brittany, "A phenomenological study of the impact of anti-woke legislation on higher education" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024. 39.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2024/39
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