The Florida Legislature today gaveled into a Special Session to address a myriad of issues including, sanctioning the country of Iran, Hurricane relief, and increasing security for Jewish Day Schools and Synagogues. The Florida Legislative Black Caucus filed a bill today to address concerns that they felt under the current Special Session proclamation should be considered. The bill, HB 15-c would allocate resources to the state’s four Historically Black Colleges and Universities to improve campus security measures. In June of this year, Jacksonville fell victim to a racially motivated mass shooting. The shooter had been removed from the campus of Edward Waters University. This past year every HBCU in Florida consisting of Edward Waters University, Florida A&M University, Bethune- Cookman University, and Florida Memorial University have all had to evacuate due to bomb threats made against their respective campus. These are very real threats that deserve attention from the Florida Legislature and the resources to address them.
Chair Representative Dianne Hart issued the following statement, “Florida’s HBCUs are vital parts of the educational landscape of our state. Families from around the country send their children to these schools knowing that they will gain a world-class education in a safe environment. We have failed to uphold our responsibility to these families, these students, and their safety. In a time where racial violence is at an all-time high it is repugnant of this legislature not to take the necessary steps to mitigate it. Florida is often referred to as the “Free state of Florida”, but who is it free for? Our students should be free to learn without a white supremacist trying to cause mass carnage on their campus. Our students should be free to learn without a Nazi sympathizer calling in a bomb threat to the campus. The day that this becomes negotiable is the day we have lost our way.
Representative Felicia Robinson issued the following statement, “HBCU’S are beacons of inclusivity, fostering academic excellence and cultural pride. HBCU’s need security to protect their rich legacies, diverse communities, and the promising futures they cultivate. We must ensure that these institutions remain safe spaces for the empowerment of our youth. At the very least, HBCU students deserve spaces in which they can thrive without fear.”
Representative Lavon Bracy-Davis issued the following statement, “In the shadow of the deeply troubling hate crimes that have targeted our Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country, with several heinous acts occurring just this year, it is a profound disappointment that Representative Hart’s HBCU amendment has been ruled out of order. As legislators, we bear an obligation not only to the young people of this state but also, with equal measure, to those who seek higher education at our state’s HBCUs. It is not our prerogative to diminish the weight of hate or to determine the importance of protection for one group over another. We carry a responsibility to all Floridians. To neglect this duty is to fail in our role as guardians of equity and as architects of a future where education is the bedrock of security and prosperity. The safety and support of our students in HBCUs are not ancillary concerns—they are central to the promise of what Florida must represent: an unwavering commitment to every single individual’s right to learn, grow, and thrive free from fear.”
Representative Christopher Benjamin issued the following statement: “We have seen an increase in the incidents of racial violence as it is related to mass shooters attacking and terrorizing traditional Black institutions. Just this year my alma mater of Florida Memorial University had to evacuate its student due to the threat of a possible shooter. College and university campuses must continue to be safe spaces for our young adults who are seeking to better their lives. We all agree that the great equalizer in the prevention of poverty is education, and no other institutions have turned out Black professionals like this nation’s HBCUs. HBCUs sprung up to satisfy the hunger and necessity of educating a group of people denied a quality education for centuries (in this country). HBCUs have turned out some of this country’s most successful professionals. It is time that institutions are given the respect that they’ve earned as beacons of quality higher education. They are the great equalizers and the planters of a great harvest of successful Black professionals who have lent their knowledge and talents to making this country fulfill its promise of greatness. We should and we must fund these institutions with the same care and interest that we give mainstream institutions.”
Representative Angie Nixon issued the following statement: “All of Florida’s colleges and universities should be places where every student can safely pursue an honest, high-quality education that prepares them for the future. But politicians like Governor Ron DeSantis have banned books, Black history, and even Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs in our schools, taking away opportunities. Our Historically Black Colleges and Universities have always needed funding and the current climate that politicizes education has made them a target for hate. The Jacksonville shooter had the intent to harm and kill students at an HBCU and subsequently killed innocent Black people shopping at a local store. While I’m glad we will provide funds to increase much-needed security at these institutions so that our students are free to learn safely, we need real leadership that puts education for all, not the divisive agendas of a few, first.”
