Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has sparked controversy with his recent comments regarding the state’s new African American history standards. DeSantis argued that some Black people benefited from being enslaved and defended the curriculum, which civil rights leaders and scholars say misrepresents the reality of slavery in the United States.
During a press conference, DeSantis stated, “They’re probably going to show that some of the folks that eventually parlayed, you know, being a blacksmith into doing things later in life.” His comments were met with criticism from educators and even some within his own party. Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd of Texas tweeted, “Slavery wasn’t a jobs program that taught beneficial skills. It was literally dehumanizing and subjugated people as property because they lacked any rights or freedoms.”
DeSantis, who is currently running for the GOP presidential nomination, has made attacking the policies of President Biden and the Democratic Party a key part of his campaign. However, his comments may alienate Black voters at a time when the Republican Party is trying to court their support.
Despite the backlash, DeSantis continues to defend Florida’s new curriculum, stating that it includes “the most robust standards in African American history probably anywhere in the country.” Civil rights leaders and educators have expressed their disapproval of the curriculum, rejecting the notion that enslaved people benefited from their experience.
Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking in Jacksonville, criticized DeSantis’s policies on Black history, emphasizing that slavery involved rape, torture, and the deprivation of basic human rights. Florida State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, a Tampa Democrat, called DeSantis’s remarks an assault on Black history, stating, “Those horrors are somehow outweighed by the benefit that you get a trade. Are you kidding me?”
DeSantis issued a statement on Friday, accusing Democrats like Harris of lying about Florida’s educational standards and pushing their own agenda. Some on the right, including Fox News host Jesse Watters, defended DeSantis’s comments, arguing that the curriculum simply teaches how Black people developed skills during slavery that could be applied for their own benefit.
The Biden campaign co-chairman Cedric L. Richmond condemned DeSantis’s defense of the curriculum as “disgusting” and a symptom of extremism within the Republican presidential candidates. Marvin Dunn, a professor emeritus at Florida International University and author, stated that DeSantis’s argument was so outrageous that it would be rejected by the public.
The controversy surrounding DeSantis’s comments highlights the ongoing debates about how the history of slavery is taught in schools and the importance of accurately representing the experiences of enslaved people.