More companies pull funding from Florida school voucher program due to anti-LGBTQ policies

ABOVE: Wyndham Destinations (pictured) joins Fifth Third Bank and Wells Fargo in stopping funding to Florida school voucher program due to anti_LGBTQ policies. (Photo from Wyndham’s Facebook)

Wells Fargo and Wyndham Destinations are the next major companies to announce they will no longer to be donating to Florida’s school voucher program as long as it continues to discriminate against LGBTQ students and employees. 

The two companies joined Fifth Third Bank, who earlier this week announced their withdraw from the program after state Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Anna Eskamani called the company out on social media. The financial company responded to Smith in a pair of tweets, saying they stood with LGBTQ kids and would no longer be contributing until more inclusive policies were made.  

The companies began pulling out the voucher program after the Orlando Sentinel ran an investigation into the state’s Step Up for Students voucher system and exposed $129 million in school vouchers went to 156 private Christian schools with anti-LGBTQ views. The Sentinel’s story also discussed how companies were donating to the voucher program simply for a tax write-off 

Wyndham Destinations released a statement Jan. 30, saying they told the program last year they would halt their funding if “concerns about the voucher program were not addressed.” 

“As we have not seen any further action to address our concerns, we are today discontinuing our support and funding for Step Up For Students and hope that the organization will quickly work with the Florida Legislature to immediately end any discriminatory practices existing within the voucher program,” Wyndham Destinations told NBC News.  

Wells Fargo announced it was pulling funding Jan. 29 in a statement released to NBC News. 

“We have reviewed this matter carefully and have decided to no longer support Step Up for Students,” Wells Fargo said. “All of us at Wells Fargo highly value diversity and inclusion, and we oppose discrimination of any kind.”  

Smith and Eskamani have continued to voice their support for the companies who are withdrawing financial support until the voucher program is more LGBTQ inclusive, with Eskamani tweeting, “Thank you @WyndhamHotels for doing the right thing and standing with our kids & with equality by leaving Florida’s discriminatory anti-LGBTQ voucher program!” 

Smith and Eskamani continue to call out companies on social media who are still donating to the program. They have called out companies on Twitter by name including Geico and Walgreens.  

“Publicly pressuring corporations that fund the tax credit program may be the best option for those who want to see changes in scholarship rules because the state’s GOP leaders seem uninterested in making changes,” Smith told the Sentinel.  

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