DeSantis receives criticism over African American history teaching standards

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:
DeSantis
FILE – Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the Christians United For Israel (CUFI) Summit 2023, Monday, July 17, 2023, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Gov. Ron DeSantis is getting backlash over the new African American history standards that he says he had nothing to do with.

According to Florida’s governor, the standards came from the Florida Department of Education.

Critics start with the section in the curriculum that reads, “Slaves developed skills which in some instances could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Dr. William Allen was among the group that developed the new Florida standards.

“It is the case that Africans proved resourceful, resilient and adaptive and were able to develop skills and aptitudes, which served to their benefit, both while enslaved and after enslavement,” Allen said.

Florida International University political professor Thomas Breslin said the controversy could be catastrophic for the DeSantis campaign.

“I think the governor is making a political mistake with terrible repercussions in society by having himself get up on this critical/anti-critical race theory, anti-Woke crusade he’s on. He’s just disqualifying himself,” Breslin said.

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