DeSantis to Boycott NBC and Its Affiliates Until Andrea Mitchell Corrects Blatant Lie

The Florida Governor’s Office. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Governor, announced via social media that it would not accept interviews requests from NBC or MSNBC until Andrea Mitchell rectifies the error. “blatant lie.”

Andrea Mitchell, host on MSNBC, was interviewed by Vice President Kamala Harris in February 2017. “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” A question was asked that set off a social media storm.

“Let me ask you,” Mitchell stated, “what does Governor Ron DeSantis not know about black history and the black experience when he says that slavery and the aftermath of slavery should not be taught to Florida’s schoolchildren?”

“I don’t know what he knows and what he doesn’t know,” Harris replied. “But I do know this. Any push to censor America’s teachers and tell them what they should be teaching in the best interest of our children in partnership with the parents of America is, I think, wrong-headed. The people who know our children best are their parents and their teachers in terms of the time they spend and the investment they’ve placed in the brains and capacity of our children who are our nation’s future and it should not be some politician saying what should be taught in our classrooms.”

The Background

In January, Florida Department of Education rejected a proposal for an Advanced Placement (AP), African American History course to be included in public high schools’ curriculum. Its content was inconsistent with state law.

“As presented, the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value,” Manny Diaz Jr., state Education Commissioner, stated in a Jan. 12 correspondence (pdf) to the College Board Florida Partnership, suggesting that “should College Board be willing to come back to the table with lawful, historically-accurate content, FDOE will always be willing to reopen the discussion.”

Manny Diaz Jr. Florida Commissioner of Education makes comments during a meeting of Florida Board of Education on January 18, 2023. (Screenshot/The Florida Channel).

In ahttps://www.theepochtimes.com/desantis-faces-heated-backlash-over-rejection-of-ap-african-american-studies_5012568.html”>subsequent ReportThe Epoch Times reported that advocates of the rejected course protested at the Capitol in Tallahassee.

Fentrice Driskell, Democratic state House Leader, accused DeSantis “undermining the rights of parents and students to make their own decisions,” It is possible to say “Black history is American history” “the truth is the truth.”

Geraldine Thompson, Democrat state Senator “it’s time out for hypocrisy!”

“We are told by Ron DeSantis that this time of history has no educational value,” Thompson stated, adding that “if it’s not taught then someone needs to be held accountable.”

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump—who gained national recognition for representing the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery—threatened legal action on behalf of three black Florida students if the course is not implemented.

Although not widely accessible, the original syllabus of AP African American Studies, Course Framework and Exam Overview are available (pdfThe Epoch Times obtained ).

Diaz tweeted a Jan. 20 message. Detailled list The DOE is located within the course

• Topic 4.15 Intersectionality and Activism—Diaz said this is foundational to critical race theory, which is banned by Florida by law, and ranks people based on their wealth, gender, and sexual orientation.
• Topic 4.19 Black Queer Studies—Included reading is author Roderick Ferguson, who encourages the development of practices “related to race, class, gender, and sexuality.”
• Topic 4.29 Movements for Black Lives—Diaz said Black Lives Matter advocates for the elimination of prisons and jails and pushes the idea that there is a “war on Black trans, queer, gender non-conforming, and intersex people.”
• Topic 4.16 Black Feminist Literary Thought—Includes books by author Bell Hooks, who advocates for intersectionality and has stated, “I began to use the phrase in my work ‘white supremacist capitalist patriarchy’ because I wanted to have some language that would actually remind us continually of the interlocking systems of domination that define our reality.”
• Topic 4.30 The Reparations Movement—All points and resources in this section advocate for reparations, Diaz said, adding that there is no critical perspective or balancing opinion in this lesson.
• Topic 4.31 Black Study and Black Struggle in the 21st Century—Included reading is author Robin Kelly, who advocates that activism rather than the university system is the catalyst for social transformation.

Facts

Harris’s opinion during the interview was not correct. “parents” were among “the people who know our children best,” And that politicians were out of place “saying what should be taught in our classrooms,” neither Mitchell nor Harris mentioned that liberal politicians, teachers, and even the Head of the teacher’s union I have always advocated that parents should not be involved in the education of their children.

They also neglected to mention the fact that Florida law prohibits teaching CRT in schools. However, teaching factsual African American history including slavery is permitted.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor, displays the signed Parental Rights in Education Act flanked with elementary school students, during a news conference at Classical Preparatory school in Shady hills, Fla., March 28, 2022. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Florida Statute 1003.42 It is necessary to teach African American history. “including the history of African peoples before the political conflicts that led to the development of slavery, the passage to America, the enslavement experience, abolition, and the contributions of African Americans to society.”

“However,” The Florida DOE clarifies, “classroom instruction and curriculum may not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view inconsistent with the principles enumerated in subsection (3) or the state academic standards.”

“We proudly require the teaching of African American history,” Diaz made these comments in his Jan. 20, post. “We do not accept woke indoctrination masquerading as education.”

The Boycott

Mitchell failed to correct the error in her February 20 edition.

Mitchell issued the following message at the conclusion of her February 22 morning broadcast A statementAccording to her, she was “imprecise in summarizing Governor DeSantis’ position about teaching slavery in schools,” This is an additional feature “Governor DeSantis is not opposed to teaching the fact of slavery in schools but he has opposed the teaching of an African American Studies curriculum as well as the use of some authors and source materials that historians and teachers say makes it all but impossible for students to understand the broader historic and political context behind slavery and its aftermath in the years since.”

Mitchell didn’t identify the “historians and teachers” In her statement, she referred to the following. Not only did she not report that Florida law requires the teaching African American history including slavery.

Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’ press secretary, responded to this tweet on February 22.

“To all of the bookers and producers reaching out to our office @NBCNews and @MSNBC for @GovRonDeSantis to join your shows, this will be the standard response from our office until @mitchellreports apologizes and your track record improves,” Griffin sent a response, and attached a screenshot of the written response.

“I think we need to take a step back,” You can find the response in the attachment. “There will be no consideration of anything related to NBC Universal or its affiliates until and at least Andrea Mitchell corrects the blatant lie she made about the governor … and NBC and its affiliates display a consistent track record of truthful reporting. Please feel free to pass this up and around the network.”

The Epoch Times reached out to MSNBC in an effort to get their comment.

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