Comparing Florida’s approach to First Amendment issues to a parallel dimension portrayed in the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” a Florida federal judge has granted an injunction against provisions of the “Stop WOKE Act” that restrict workforce diversity training. 

In an Aug. 18 opinion, Judge Mark E. Walker of the Northern District of Florida enjoined the state attorney general and members of the Florida Commission on Human Relations from prohibiting employers from discussing certain concepts relating to gender, race or national origin during mandatory employment training, as is required by the new law.

The First Amendment generally prevents the state from clamping down on free speech, while private entities can place restrictions on free expression, Walker wrote, adding that in Florida these truisms are reversed.