WLRN 91.3 FM | By Ryan Dailey | News Service of Florida
Published February 15, 2023
Andrew Nelles / AP
Rev. Al Sharpton delivers the eulogy for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.
TALLAHASSEE — Florida's rejection of an African American studies course continued to draw criticism Wednesday, as Black lawmakers, religious leaders and civil-rights leader Al Sharpton led a march to the Capitol.
Sharpton, a longtime activist who heads the National Action Network, focused heavily on denouncing Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“If you would study history, governor, you would have known that to mess with us in education always ends to your defeat,” Sharpton said to a crowd gathered outside the Capitol.
Sharpton also called for a voter drive to oppose the governor, who was re-elected by a wide margin in November.
“You’re gonna tell the whole story. You are not going to give no part-time story to our story. Our children need to know the whole story, not to only know how bad you were, but to know how strong they are,” Sharpton said.
Hundreds of people marched several blocks from Bethel Missionary Baptist Church to the Capitol for a rally.
The march and rally came after the state Department of Education last month informed the College Board that an Advanced Placement African American Studies course would not be offered in Florida classrooms unless changes were made. Advanced Placement courses are college-level classes offered to high-school students.
The department cited several topics that were planned for inclusion in the course, including “Black queer studies” and “the reparations movement,” as reasons for the rejection.
The College Board on Feb. 1 released an updated course framework that essentially was scrubbed of topics and literary works that drew the education department’s concerns.
The Department of Education, however, has not accepted the revised course. Cassie Palelis, press secretary for the department, told The News Service of Florida in an email Wednesday that the College Board “still has not submitted their official framework to the department for review.”
Meanwhile, a feud between the College Board and the DeSantis administration has been intensifying. The College Board in a statement Saturday said the organization regrets “not immediately denouncing the Florida Department of Education’s slander,” while DeSantis on Monday accused the organization of putting “neo-Marxism into the proposed syllabus” of the course.
The governor this week also suggested that Florida could completely sever ties with the College Board, which develops Advanced Placement courses and creates the SAT test that evaluates prospective college students on reading, math, writing and language.
“Does it have to be done by the College Board, or can we utilize some of these other providers, who I think have a really, really strong track record? I don’t think anyone should be concerned about somehow our high school students not having an opportunity for that. They absolutely will. It’s just a matter of what is the best way to do it,” DeSantis said during an appearance in Jacksonville.
Democrats have objected to the suggestion of shifting away from the College Board’s services. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, accused DeSantis of retaliating against the College Board after it pushed back against his administration.
“You see, that’s the rub with this guy (DeSantis) and I don’t want you to miss this — if you dare to speak out against him, he will come after you. That’s his M.O. He wants us to be intimidated and afraid. And we cannot be intimidated or afraid,” Driskell told the crowd during Wednesday’s rally.
Sharpton to DeSantis: Stop censoring Black history
By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE
By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE
February 15, 2023
The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to a crowd of hundreds from the steps of the Senate portico during the National Action Network demonstration in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis's rejection of a high school African American history course, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 in Tallahassee, Fla. (Alicia Devine /Tallahassee Democrat via AP)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Rev. Al Sharpton led a march to the Florida Capitol on Wednesday to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’ rejection of a high school African American history course, accusing the Republican of censoring a fundamental chapter of the nation’s past.
The civil rights leader walked through Tallahassee to the Statehouse with dozens of supporters who criticized the state’s blocking of the Advanced Placement pilot course.
“Our children need to know the whole story. Not to not only know how bad you were, but to know how strong they are,” Sharpton told the crowd, adding, “If you would study history, governor, you would have known to mess with us and education always ends in your defeat.”
Ahead of an expected White House run, DeSantis has continued to focus on eliminating what he calls “woke” ideology in education, seizing on national flashpoints around what children learn about race, gender identity and history.
Sharpton’s appearance in Tallahassee signaled an elevation of the national scrutiny that has followed DeSantis during his time as governor and that has increased as he stakes out his position as a firebrand willing to lean into cultural divides.
The dispute began last month when Florida announced it was rejecting the College Board’s course, saying it violated state law and was historically inaccurate.
The state argued that it promotes the idea that modern American society oppresses Black people, other minorities and women; includes a chapter on Black Queer Studies that the administration finds inappropriate; and uses articles by critics of capitalism.
The College Board released a revised curriculum downplaying some components that had drawn criticism, a move that drew the ire of scholars and advocates on the left. The organization has since maintained that the changes were substantially complete before DeSantis made his objections.
The spat continued when the board issued a set of statements days apart that heavily criticized the DeSantis administration and apologized for not taking a stronger stance. The board has also said it is still awaiting clarification on exactly how the course violates Florida law.
“We deeply regret not immediately denouncing the Florida Department of Education’s slander, magnified by the DeSantis administration’s subsequent comments, that African American Studies ‘lacks educational value.’ Our failure to raise our voice betrayed Black scholars everywhere and those who have long toiled to build this remarkable field,” the board said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Education said Wednesday that the College Board had not yet submitted the official course framework for additional review.
DeSantis has begun suggesting this week that the state break away from the College Board and its Advanced Placement courses and instead contract with other educational organizations that maintain programs for high schoolers to gain college credit.
“Florida students are going to have that ability that is not going to be diminished, in fact we’re going to continue to work to expand it,” DeSantis said, “but it’s not clear to me that this particular operator is the one that’s going to need to be used in the future.”
The rejection of the course has drawn national attention and led Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to announce that his state would expand the pilot course from one school to 26.
Like other Republicans and potential presidential candidates, DeSantis has taken an aggressive stance on education policy and moved to increase government control over what is taught in the classroom.
Over the last year, he has signed a law critics call “ Don’t Say Gay,” which bars lessons on sexual orientation or gender identity through the third grade as well as instruction deemed inappropriate, and also has approved what is known as the Stop WOKE Act, to restrict certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses.
More recently the governor announced plans to block state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, and critical race theory.
He has also moved to reshape the once progressive New College of Florida, appointing six new trustees who are tasked with transforming it into a classical liberal arts school modeled after conservative favorite Hillsdale College in Michigan.
Florida is weeks away from its regular legislative session, in which a Republican supermajority stands ready to deliver on the governor’s conservative agenda. DeSantis is expected to use the session to stack up political victories that will form the platform for his potential 2024 presidential bid.
The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to a crowd of hundreds from the steps of the Senate portico during the National Action Network demonstration in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis's rejection of a high school African American history course, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 in Tallahassee, Fla. (Alicia Devine /Tallahassee Democrat via AP)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Rev. Al Sharpton led a march to the Florida Capitol on Wednesday to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’ rejection of a high school African American history course, accusing the Republican of censoring a fundamental chapter of the nation’s past.
The civil rights leader walked through Tallahassee to the Statehouse with dozens of supporters who criticized the state’s blocking of the Advanced Placement pilot course.
“Our children need to know the whole story. Not to not only know how bad you were, but to know how strong they are,” Sharpton told the crowd, adding, “If you would study history, governor, you would have known to mess with us and education always ends in your defeat.”
Ahead of an expected White House run, DeSantis has continued to focus on eliminating what he calls “woke” ideology in education, seizing on national flashpoints around what children learn about race, gender identity and history.
Sharpton’s appearance in Tallahassee signaled an elevation of the national scrutiny that has followed DeSantis during his time as governor and that has increased as he stakes out his position as a firebrand willing to lean into cultural divides.
The dispute began last month when Florida announced it was rejecting the College Board’s course, saying it violated state law and was historically inaccurate.
The state argued that it promotes the idea that modern American society oppresses Black people, other minorities and women; includes a chapter on Black Queer Studies that the administration finds inappropriate; and uses articles by critics of capitalism.
The College Board released a revised curriculum downplaying some components that had drawn criticism, a move that drew the ire of scholars and advocates on the left. The organization has since maintained that the changes were substantially complete before DeSantis made his objections.
The spat continued when the board issued a set of statements days apart that heavily criticized the DeSantis administration and apologized for not taking a stronger stance. The board has also said it is still awaiting clarification on exactly how the course violates Florida law.
“We deeply regret not immediately denouncing the Florida Department of Education’s slander, magnified by the DeSantis administration’s subsequent comments, that African American Studies ‘lacks educational value.’ Our failure to raise our voice betrayed Black scholars everywhere and those who have long toiled to build this remarkable field,” the board said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Education said Wednesday that the College Board had not yet submitted the official course framework for additional review.
DeSantis has begun suggesting this week that the state break away from the College Board and its Advanced Placement courses and instead contract with other educational organizations that maintain programs for high schoolers to gain college credit.
“Florida students are going to have that ability that is not going to be diminished, in fact we’re going to continue to work to expand it,” DeSantis said, “but it’s not clear to me that this particular operator is the one that’s going to need to be used in the future.”
The rejection of the course has drawn national attention and led Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to announce that his state would expand the pilot course from one school to 26.
Like other Republicans and potential presidential candidates, DeSantis has taken an aggressive stance on education policy and moved to increase government control over what is taught in the classroom.
Over the last year, he has signed a law critics call “ Don’t Say Gay,” which bars lessons on sexual orientation or gender identity through the third grade as well as instruction deemed inappropriate, and also has approved what is known as the Stop WOKE Act, to restrict certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses.
More recently the governor announced plans to block state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, and critical race theory.
He has also moved to reshape the once progressive New College of Florida, appointing six new trustees who are tasked with transforming it into a classical liberal arts school modeled after conservative favorite Hillsdale College in Michigan.
Florida is weeks away from its regular legislative session, in which a Republican supermajority stands ready to deliver on the governor’s conservative agenda. DeSantis is expected to use the session to stack up political victories that will form the platform for his potential 2024 presidential bid.
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