Agriculture Commissioner Simpson wants major Florida scholarship to not fund ‘woke’ classes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson expressed his desire for Florida’s Bright Futures scholarships to fund education that results in students obtaining jobs and making a living, rather than “woke” classes.

Simpson made the comments on Florida’s Voice with Brendon Leslie.

“A bright future should lead to a bright future,” Simpson said. “You should be able to come out of the university system with a Bright Futures scholarship and have a job where you can make a living, or at least start at a level and where you’ll be making a living in a few years.”

While advocating for vocational jobs, Simpson warned against using taxpayer money for scholarships funding classes that are “woke and indoctrinating our children.”

“We’re coddling students rather than, you know, setting standards that’s going to get them a real job one day,” Simpson added.

“We did a bill a few years ago that dealt with Bright Futures and not allowing taxpayer money to be spent on these type of indoctrinating classes,” Simpson said. “And we were unsuccessful, we didn’t have a dance partner then.”

Simpson is referring to SB 86, which was filed by Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, in 2021. It proposed tying yearly funding for bright futures to the state budget instead of guaranteeing scholarships. The law would have covered 75% or 100% of student’s fees at a Florida college.

A previous version of the bill, which was amended, would have removed funding for students receiving a dubious degree. It also cut funding for students who took Advance Placement, or AP, classes.

The legislation eventually died in the Florida House in April 2021.

At the time, Simpson served as Florida Senate president. After 10 years in the chamber, he became agricultural commissioner in 2023.

Simpson emphasized the bill did not cut any funding out of Bright Futures, and instead expanded it to include vocational trades. He also hoped the governor and the legislature will take up a similar bill in the future.

“Again, it just should not be taxpayer funded,” Simpson reiterated. “Taxpayer funding should not go to indoctrinating our students.”