Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has recently made headlines for his controversial statements that some Black people benefited from being enslaved, sparking intense backlash from various circles, including educators, civil rights leaders, and politicians.
DeSantis’s comment was made in the context of new African American history standards adopted in Florida, which, according to critics, misrepresents centuries of U.S. reality. The new curriculum includes the assertion for middle school instruction that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” He made these remarks at a press conference, stating, “They’re probably going to show that some of the folks that eventually parlayed, you know, being a blacksmith into doing things later in life”.
While DeSantis defended these changes as a purely academic decision made by the State Department of Education, critics argue that such an approach trivializes the horrors of slavery and distorts the historical truth.
These comments and the new teaching standards quickly drew criticism from various quarters. Former U.S. representative Will Hurd of Texas blasted the idea that enslaved people were able to use slavery as some kind of training program. He emphasized that “Slavery wasn’t a jobs program that taught beneficial skills,” but rather, “it was literally dehumanizing and subjugated people as property because they lacked any rights or freedoms.”
Civil rights leaders, educators, and others have expressed revulsion at the idea that enslaved people benefited from the experience. Florida State Rep. Fentrice Driskell criticized DeSantis’s latest remarks as a continuation of his “assault on Black history.”
Some on the right defended DeSantis, including Fox News host Jesse Watters. He clarified that no one was arguing that slaves benefited from slavery but that they are teaching how Black people develop skills during slavery in some instances that could be applied for their own personal benefit.
The controversy surrounding DeSantis’s remarks and the new educational standards has broader political implications. It risks alienating Black voters and further polarizing the ongoing national conversation about the teaching of racial history in American schools.
As America continues to grapple with its racial past and future, conversations about how to educate students on the country’s history remain fraught with tensions. The situation in Florida is a stark reminder of these challenges. It also raises fundamental questions about the purpose and impact of education in shaping our collective understanding of the past. The controversy also underscores the role of political leaders in shaping this dialogue and their responsibility in providing truthful, nuanced, and comprehensive accounts of our shared history.
