US appeals court overturns Florida's university 'Stop Woke' speech restrictions

A US federal appeals court has delivered a significant ruling against Florida's controversial Stop Woke Act, striking down restrictions on discussing race and gender concepts within higher education institutions. The 11th circuit court of appeal ruled by a 2-1 majority that the law's higher education component—which prevented professors from teaching or sharing perspectives on certain race and gender theories—violated the free expression protections guaranteed under the First Amendment. In a scathing order, the judges accused the state of 'puppeteering' academic discourse. The decision marks another legal setback for Governor Ron DeSantis's efforts to regulate curriculum content in state universities. The ruling reinforces constitutional safeguards for academic freedom and open inquiry within American higher education, with implications for how institutions balance state oversight against protected speech.