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A group of Florida pastors and community leaders held a news conference Monday, criticizing Governor Ron DeSantis' administration for preventing a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being offered in Florida schools.
The proposed course was rejected by the state Department of Education, with the agency saying the class was filled with Critical Race Theory and woke indoctrination masquerading as education.
Speaking at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee, several Black leaders pushed back against the decision.
Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson feels there is not one specific way to teach Black history, We welcome a conversation and dialogue with the governor, if he is amenable to that. If not, we will fight like hell to make sure that African American history continues to be a part of American history.”
Speaking at a school in Jacksonville Monday, DeSantis said the course in question went well beyond simply teaching history and was pushing a political agenda.
“We have guidelines and standards in Florida. We want education, not indoctrination. If you fall on the side of indoctrination, we are going to decline. If it is education, then we will do.”
By state law, African American history is required to be taught in Florida.
However, another law passed by the legislature last year also bans critical race theory, which is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American institutions.