NAACP asks college athletes to ‘reconsider’ attending Florida public schools
In an open letter Published Monday, the NAACP urged black college athletes to “reconsider any possible decision” to attend a public university in Florida, after last week’s news that the University of Florida is eliminating its Diversity and Inclusion office.
The University of Gainesville decision came in response to a law signed last year by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that bans the state’s public universities from using state or federal dollars for diversity programs or activities. In a March 1 memo, the university announced it would eliminate 13 positions, including the Chief Diversity Officer, and reallocate $5 million it spent on DEI initiatives.
Monday’s letter, signed by NAACP Board Chairman Leon W. Russell and President and CEO Derrick Johnson, is addressed to NCAA President Charlie Baker and current and future college athletes. It predicts that “while the University of Florida may be the first, it won’t be the last.”
Six public universities in Florida – Florida, Florida State, Central Florida, South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Florida International – compete at the FBS level.
“Florida’s rampant anti-Black policies pose a direct threat to the progress of our young people and their ability to compete in a global economy,” Johnson said in a statement. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are paramount to ensuring fair and effective educational outcomes. The value that Black and other college athletes bring to major universities is unparalleled. If these institutions cannot fully invest in those athletes, it is time for them to take their talents elsewhere.”
The NAACP letter echoes the sentiment of former Gators executive Emmitt Smith, who wrote on March 3 that he was “completely disgusted by UF’s decision and the precedent it sets.”
In his statement, he said, “to the MANY minority athletes at UF: please be aware of this decision by the university, which is now closing its doors to other minorities without any oversight.”
— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) March 3, 2024
In the school memo announcing the elimination of the DEI office, officials wrote: “The University of Florida is — and always will be — steadfast in our commitment to universal human dignity.”
The NCAA and the Florida governor’s office had not returned messages seeking comment by time of publication. On the day the University of Florida announced it would close its DEI office, DeSantis tweeted: “DEI is toxic and has no place on our public universities.”
(Photo: Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)