(ThyBlackMan.com) In response to the state of Florida’s decision to reject a new AP African American Studies course, a rally was held on recently at the Florida Capitol building. The rally, titled “Stop the Black Attack,” was organized by Black elected officials, activists, and community members. The rally was led by prominent civil-rights attorney Ben Crump who threatened to sue Governor Ron DeSantis over the state’s rejection of the African American studies course. Several lawmakers and Black leaders joined Crump in the protest.
The state Department of Education delivered a letter to The College Board earlier this month. This organization develops Advanced Placement courses, stating that the Advanced Placement course on African American studies will not be offered in Florida public schools. Crump told the crowd of over 100 people that what is taught in Florida classrooms is not a matter for the governor to decide. He said, “Everybody, you have a right to expect respect for and instruction on your culture and history from the youth here in America.”
DeSantis justified the denial in a press conference in Jacksonville of the course, stating that it violated Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act.” He said, “We think it’s important to teach kids facts and critical thinking skills, but we don’t think there should be any agenda thrust onto them. When you use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory, you are trying to use that for political purposes.”
The Department of Education had listed concerns with the course, specifically focusing on five topics: “Movements for Black Lives, Intersectionality and activism, The reparations movement, and The Black study and Black struggle in the twenty-first century are just a few examples.”
Other speakers at the protest included Rep. Dianne Hart (D-61), Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, American Federation of Teachers Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram, and David Johns, who is the National Black Justice Coalition’s executive director.
Rep. Driskell questioned the cost of altering the content of the AP class to appease the governor, stating, “Are we okay with Ron DeSantis deciding what is acceptable”? I asked myself the same question!
If you think this backlash will cause DeSantis to back down, then you don’t understand what’s at play. Despite his claim that he wants to ensure that Florida’s students are not “indoctrinated,” that’s not what his opposition is about. It is solely about DeSantis making himself more popular with the GOP base to win the 2024 presidential nomination. That’s why deconstructing his stated objections to this AP course is a waste of time. In DeSantis’ view, banning a Black history course will make him more popular. This is what toxic white identity politics looks like. You just can’t make this stuff up!
Conservatives love to go on about the importance of free speech and how it’s under threat. But one of their greatest champions in this arena is DeSantis, he is indeed, using his power to wage war on the First Amendment, and they don’t seem to mind. Their main interest here is fostering a docile public incapable of questioning American mythology. As a teacher of History/Economics this writer will never allow this to happen; put another way: Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.
Staff Writer;Â Stanley G. Buford
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