Florida Board of Education greenlights fresh African American history standards.
The Board of Education Approves New Curriculum Standards for African American History
The Board of Education for the state of Florida has recently approved a set of new curriculum standards for African American history. This decision comes at a time when Florida is at the center of a nationwide debate on how to effectively teach issues of race in the classroom.
The new standards are designed to ensure that students learn about the rich cultural contributions of African Americans, as well as the history of the slave trade, the Jim Crow era, and race massacres in Tulsa, Atlanta, and other locations. Additionally, middle schools will now include lessons on the valuable skills that slaves developed during this time.
Addressing Criticisms and Controversies
The administration of Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has faced criticism from black advocacy groups and liberal organizations for allegedly sanitizing the teaching of African American history. In response, the governor and the Republican-controlled legislature have implemented some of the strictest bans on teaching critical race theory in classrooms.
Earlier this year, the state blocked the College Board from piloting an AP African American studies course in Florida high schools due to concerns over certain concepts, such as “black queer studies,” which were deemed to be in violation of state law.
The NAACP, which has issued a travel warning for Florida, strongly criticized the new standards, claiming that they present a “sanitized and dishonest telling of the history of slavery in America.” The group particularly objected to the idea that slaves developed beneficial skills.
“Today’s actions by the Florida state government are an attempt to bring our country back to a 19th century America where Black life was not valued, nor our rights protected,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. “We refuse to go back. Our children deserve nothing less than truth, justice, and the equity our ancestors shed blood, sweat, and tears for.”
Florida Department of Education Responds
In response to the criticisms, Florida Department of Education spokesman Alex Lanfranconi defended the new standards, stating that they were developed through a rigorous process. He emphasized that the standards cover all aspects of African American history, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
“These standards will further cement Florida as a national leader in education, as we continue to provide true and accurate instruction in African American History,” Lanfranconi said.
Click here to read more from The Washington Examiner.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...