Florida is all about being free these days, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

He can’t say it often enough, it seems. He wrote a book he called “The Courage to be Free.” He’s called the state a “citadel of freedom.” His budget is called a “framework of freedom.” His inauguration speech used the word “freedom” 12 times — and the speech was only about 16 minutes long.

But his words run counter to a lot of his actions and the actions of the state Legislature as they hand him as many “wins” as possible before he officially declares he’s running for president. They’re imposing all sorts of restrictions on freedom in Florida. From abortion and free speech — just ask Disney — to what’s taught in public schools, DeSantis and the Republicans running the state are intent on curtailing some rights to favor others.

In this episode you'll hear from Editorial Board members Isadora Rangel, Luisa Yanez and Nancy Ancrum. Special thanks to WLRN studios in downtown Miami.

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The term "parental rights" has become a most useful tool in the state’s education politics. DeSantis has used the term to describe his efforts to give parents more control over how their child is educated at school.

On its face, it’s well-founded desire. Teachers and faculty want involved parents. However, the governor has turned that useful tool into a blunt instrument with which parents — especially white ones in his base — have struck blows against so much of what education is supposed to be about — expanding young, curious minds — both in grades K-12 and at the university level.

In this episode you'll hear from Editorial Board members Nancy Ancrum and Amy Driscoll, and audience engagement producer Lauren Costantino. Special thanks for WLRN studios in downtown Miami.

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Donald Trump mastered the art of grievance politics. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis perfected it and showed how an ambitious politician can make them the law, injecting culture wars into every facet of policy.

Now that master and disciple are likely to face off in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, we’re about to find out how DeSantis will fare against an opponent like no other. Trump, known for never pulling punches, still has immense appeal with GOP voters despite — or, perhaps, because of — his legal problems. DeSantis must walk a tightrope. How much can he criticize the former president without angering his base — the same people DeSantis will need?

In this episode you'll hear from Miami Herald Editorial Board members, Isadora Rangel, Luisa Yanez and Nancy Ancrum. Special thanks to WLRN studios in downtown Miami.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has crafted the perfect enemy with “wokeism.”

It’s an ill-defined term, co-opted from Black communities by the GOP, that can stand in for just about anything the governor thinks will stir up voters. Mostly he has used it to attack vulnerable communities or fan the flame of small, everyday grievances into full-blown conflagrations. Under the umbrella of the anti-woke fight, a handful of objections to books in school libraries, for example, turns into a full review of every book on the shelf and the threat of a felony charge against teachers.

Florida’s governor is using the playbook of ex-President Donald Trump and expanding upon it. That’s because it works. As politicians have long known, angry voters are motivated to show up at the polls.

In this episode you'll hear from Miami Herald Editorial Board members Amy Driscoll, Nancy Ancrum and Isadora Rangel. Special thanks to WLRN studios in downtown Miami.

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Our failed immigration policy is a controversial topic across the country, but especially in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis has made it a hallmark of this administration and his intent to run for president.

In this episode of “Woke Wars,” the Miami Herald opinion team discusses an aggressive immigration bill moving through the Florida Legislature, Senate Bill 1718, which, in essence, makes life harder for any undocumented person in Florida - and that’s the idea.

Speaking in this episode are Editorial Board members Luisa Yanez, Nancy Ancrum and Amy Driscoll. Special thanks for WLRN studios in downtown Miami.

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Drag shows, the use of preferred pronouns in classrooms, expanding the ban on talking about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, gender-affirming care for minors — all are targets of lawmakers as they seek to hand Gov. Ron DeSantis a series of culture-war wins before he announces his presumed run for the presidency.

In this episode of “Woke Wars,” the Miami Herald opinion team discusses the real and dangerous consequences of the state’s actions, often couched as issues of “parental rights” — but only if those parents agree with DeSantis.

Are lawmakers responding to real or imagined threats? Are the crackdowns on businesses that offer drag shows where children might be in the audience a misplaced effort to control what parents can’t control: What their children are exposed to on the internet and the world at large? We’ll discuss those questions on Woke Wars.

Special thanks WLRN studios in downtown Miami.

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The governor says that we live in the free state of Florida, yet he punishes private entities for their speech. But, we also know that corporations are becoming more vocal about their stances on politics. Should they quiet down and go back to business as usual? Or should Florida lawmakers mind their own business when it comes to private entities? We’ll wrestle with these questions on this week’s “Woke Wars.”

This week your host is Isadora Rangel and she's speaking with Editorial Board members Nancy Ancrum and Amy Driscoll. Special thanks to WLRN studios in Miami, Florida.

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The Editorial Board discusses diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, or DEI, which seek to give everyone a fair shake at gaining access to opportunity, in school and at work. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers are pushing to remove DEI offices throughout the state college and university systems.

DEI advocates think it’s racist, sexist and exclusionary not to continue these programs. DEI opponents think it’s racist and exclusionary — against whites — to have them in the first place.

How are companies going to diversify their workforce and faculty if not by being intentional about it through, for example, DEI initiatives? Are there potential pitfalls for DEI programs at universities and companies? Let's talk about this issue and how it's playing out in the Florida Legislature.

On this week's episode, you'll hear from the writers of the Miami Herald Editorial Board: Nancy Ancrum, Amy Driscoll, Isadora Rangel, Luisa Yanez and audience engagement producer Lauren Costantino. Special thanks to WLRN studios in Miami.

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Florida has become the epicenter of a battle happening across the nation to define American culture, history and race relations. But, how did we get here? Woke Wars is an eight-episode podcast series that goes deeper into the culture wars happening in Florida and across the nation. Throughout Florida’s legislative session, the opinion journalists that make up the Miami Herald Editorial Board will discuss culture wars issues in the legislature and why fighting woke is such a powerful political tool. 

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