N.A.A.C.P. Urges College Athletes to Reconsider Public Florida Universities

In an open letter printed Monday, the NAACP suggested Black faculty athletes to “reconsider any potential decision” to wait a public college in Florida following closing week’s information that the University of Florida is getting rid of its Diversity and Inclusion workplace.

The Gainesville college’s determination got here in accordance with a legislation signed closing yr via Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which prohibits the state’s public universities from the usage of state or federal greenbacks for variety systems or actions. In a March 1 memo, the college introduced it might get rid of 13 roles, together with the manager variety officer, and reallocate $5 million it used to be spending on DEI tasks.

Monday’s letter, signed via NAACP board chairman Leon W. Russell and president and CEO Derrick Johnson, is addressed to NCAA President Charlie Baker and present and potential faculty athletes. It predicts that “while the University of Florida may be the first, it won’t be the last.”

Six public Florida universities — Florida, Florida State, Central Florida, South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Florida International — compete on the FBS stage.

“Florida’s rampant anti-Black policies are a direct threat to the advancement of our young people and their ability to compete in a global economy,” Johnson mentioned in a remark. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes. The value Black, and other college athletes bring to large universities is unmatched. If these institutions are unable to completely invest in those athletes, it’s time they take their talents elsewhere.”

The NAACP letter mirrors the sentiment of former Gators nice Emmitt Smith, who posted on March 3 he used to be “utterly disgusted by UF’s decision and the precedent it sets.”

In his remark, he mentioned, “to the MANY minority athletes at UF, please be aware and vocal about this decision by the University who is now closing the doors on other minorities without any oversight.”

pic.twitter.com/NkMvqkkHJa

— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) March 3, 2024

In the college’s memo pronouncing the removal of the DEI workplace, officers wrote, “The University of Florida is — and will always be — unwavering in our commitment to universal human dignity.”

The NCAA and the Florida governor’s workplace each and every had no longer returned a message in search of remark on the time of e-newsletter. On the day the University of Florida introduced it used to be shuttering the DEI workplace, DeSantis tweeted, “DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities.”

(Photo: Miami Herald / Tribune News Service by way of Getty Images)