Title: Rep. John James Criticizes Gov. Ron DeSantis for Response to Black History Education Standards
Date: [Date]
Rep. John James (R-Mich.) publicly criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Friday over his handling of criticisms from Republican lawmakers regarding the new Black history education standards introduced in the state of Florida.
In a tweet posted on the platform formerly known as Twitter, James expressed his disapproval of DeSantis’ response, stating, “@RonDeSantis, #1: slavery was not CTE! Nothing about that 400 years of evil was a ‘net benefit’ to my ancestors. #2: there are only five black Republicans in Congress, and you’re attacking two of them.” James urged DeSantis to reconsider his stance and called for a change in direction.
The criticism from James comes after both Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) voiced their objections to the new education standards, which suggest that American slavery contributed to the development of skills in enslaved individuals. Scott publicly denounced this language during a campaign stop in Iowa, emphasizing, “there is no silver lining in slavery.” He proceeded to describe the devastating impact of slavery, including the separation of families, mutilation, and rape.
Gov. DeSantis responded to the criticism from lawmakers by suggesting that they were aligning themselves with Vice President Kamala Harris, who referred to the guidelines as “propaganda.” Harris had earlier expressed her concerns about the curriculum during an event in Jacksonville, Florida, reminding adults that slavery involved heinous acts such as rape, torture, and the separation of families.
Rep. James pleaded with Gov. DeSantis to reconsider his position and distance himself from attacking conservative lawmakers like Sen. Scott and Rep. Donalds on the sensitive topic of slavery. James asserted that DeSantis had drifted far from the principles of the Party of Lincoln and accused him of allowing the rewriting of history through the actions of his education board.
The debate surrounding the new Black history education standards continues to escalate, with prominent Republican figures expressing their concerns over the portrayal of slavery. It remains to be seen how Gov. DeSantis will respond to the criticism from within his own party.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information available at the time of writing. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency or organization.