Florida’s Black History Standards: US Vice President Kamala Harris has labelled Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ demand to discuss the state’s new Black history curriculum as “politically motivated,” marking the latest escalation in a rapidly escalating conflict between the former prosecutor and Republican presidential candidate.
While in Florida on Tuesday for an unrelated engagement, Harris stated that DeSantis attempted to legitimise the contentious standards through political manoeuvring.
According to the recently enacted curriculum by the Florida Board of Education, middle school students will be introduced to standards stating that it is essential to teach students that enslaved people acquired specific skills that they later exploited for their own benefit. Harris has frequently referred to the standards as “propaganda” intended to “replace history with lies” and drive a wedge between Americans.
Late in July, within twenty-four hours of the passage of the standards in DeSantis’ home state, the vice president plunged headfirst into the culture war debate by speaking out against them. A White House insider told CNN that when Harris learned what was permissible, she promptly instructed her staff to organise an event in Florida, where she would deliver a scathing speech the following day condemning “so-called leaders” for intentionally misinforming children.
Florida’s Black History Standards: Celebrating Harris’ Rejection of DeSantis’ Debate Invitation
In response, DeSantis has targeted the vice president and called her a liar for her comments. DeSantis appears eager for conflict as he seeks voter support and a higher position in the surveys. Monday, the Florida Republican invited Harris to address the regulations in Tallahassee and accused her of attempting to “score cheap political points.”
DeSantis is attempting to rebuild his campaign to catch up to former President Donald Trump and win the Republican nomination after second-guessing his early performance and media coverage of staff casualties and financial issues.
The vice president is largely disliked by Republicans, making her a convenient scapegoat for the frontrunner of the party. Tuesday morning in New Hampshire, DeSantis faced Harris head-to-head.
Let’s have this conversation,” he said. Let’s avoid wasting time on stories. We’re ready for commencement. DeSantis denied that he is attempting to create conflict with the vice president, claiming that she was the first to cast a stone.
The night before, the vice president’s staff said nothing about the letter, giving the former California attorney general time to respond in her own words. She used a prosecutorial tone in her remarks at a Black women-focused convention, a crucial voting cohort for the Biden campaign.
Harris’ eagerness to debate with DeSantis represents a radical departure from her previous strategy. The White House and the Biden campaign have recently attempted to use her opposition to what they perceive to be a right-wing Republican movement to bring back civil liberties and individual protections.
Meanwhile, the nation’s oldest historically Black college fraternity announced that it would not conduct its 2020 convention in Florida due to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “harmful, racist, and insensitive” policies towards African Americans.
The president of the Beta Beta Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Reginald Mathis, stated, “He chose to pick fights with divisive and unnecessary individuals.”
It has been announced that the 2025 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity convention will be moved from Orlando to a new, as-yet-undetermined location. According to the fraternity, between 4,000 and 6,000 people attend the conference, which generates an estimated $4.6 million in economic activity.
The decision comes after the NAACP and other civil rights organisations issued a spring travel advisory for Florida, warning that new laws and practises are hostile to people of colour, the LGBTQ community, and African-Americans.
According to a statement released by fraternity president Willis Lonzer on Wednesday, the decision was influenced in part by new education standards in Florida that require middle school teachers to teach students that slaves acquired skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”
Former Miami Commissioner Richard Dunn, II, who led a protest against new state education standards, has indicated that he may encourage four- and five-star high school athletes from northwest Miami Dade to continue their athletic careers in another state or at a historically black college or university. A boycott of Florida’s public institutions would reduce funding and provoke opposition to the governor from alumni and board members.
Defend the importance of teaching Black history in Florida! Advocate for inclusive and comprehensive standards that recognise the varied contributions of African Americans to the history of our state. Participate in the discussion and support initiatives that promote an inclusive and empowering curriculum for all students. Visit Eduvast.com for the most recent updates.
