An activist group vocal in its opposition to ongoing changes at New College of Florida dropped a federal lawsuit against the state’s board of governors claiming First Amendment and academic freedom violations, according to the college and the plaintiffs.
NCF Freedom, a group of alumni and activists formed in response to the conservative transformation of New College spearheaded by Gov. Ron DeSantis , filed the suit because of Senate Bill 266. The sweeping higher education bill, which the governor signed on New College’s campus last year, made headlines for prohibiting funding to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Florida universities.
NCF Freedom claimed the bill created “a chill on free speech on the New College campus … by censoring the teaching of certain ‘disfavored’ topics and by prohibiting them outright.”
Jono Miller, the president of NCF Freedom, said the organization filed the voluntary dismissal because of questions about whether it had standing to sue. The group could “reactivate” the lawsuit if they felt there were any more actions taken by New College’s administration that violated the First Amendment, he said.