Ron DeSantis has chalked up another policy victory in Florida. The state's Board of Education, which was appointed by the governor, formally moved to ban DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in all state schools. The new rule was the follow-through on a law DeSantis signed last May which mandated that funding be denied to any state school that has DEI programs. 

RELATED: Ron DeSantis Puts the Screws to DEI Programs With New Regs

"The rule adopted by the Board defined, for the first time, DEI and affirmatively prohibits FCS institutions from using state or federal funds to administer programs that categorize individuals based on race or sex for the purpose of differential or preferential treatment," the Board wrote in a press statement. "The Board's decision will ensure that taxpayer funds can no longer be used to promote DEI on Florida’s 28 state college campuses."

Florida continues to be on the cutting edge of the anti-DEI movement, something that will hopefully lead to other states following suit. These universities are not going to make these changes without being forced to, and you can bet there will be some kicking and screaming along the way. 

The state board also went further, completely replacing a "Principles and Sociology" course that had been used to push Critical Race Theory. It will now be replaced with a course on American history. 

Whatever one may think about the presidential primary, there is no doubt that DeSantis has completely transformed Florida into one of the most conservative states in the union. He's done that despite it being a naturally purple state that leans far more urban than most red states. He's taken a very fickle electorate in a state that used to be very fickle and shifted it decidedly rightward. 

How long will that last with DeSantis being term-limited? Who knows. There's certainly the possibility the state could shift back, but at least for now, conservative policies are being engrained into state law. 

Other Republican states would do well to learn the lesson DeSantis is teaching. Strike while the iron is hot because no one knows what the dynamic will be five years down the road. Power is never guaranteed to last forever. Now that I say that, Republicans at the federal level should learn that lesson as well.