Leftists accused the governor of being a racist after he criticized the politicized content in the draft version of the College Board’s new Advanced Placement African American Studies curriculum, which included “critical race theory” (CRT) and Black Lives Matter (BLM), and banned the course from schools in the state.
In response, the College Board got rid of CRT and “Black Queer Studies,” and downgraded BLM material in the draft, among other changes. The board also added “black conservatism” as a research project idea. The College Board said it did not bow to political pressure and had changed the document before it received a letter from the Florida Department of Education banning the course.
One of the Miami-Dade Black Affairs Advisory Board’s members said: “Our governor is a racist.”
Fox News reported the statement that the board chair, a black man, issued on behalf of the entire board.
“We take it to heart when someone uses the term racist,” Pierre Rutledge said. “Words matter. And so as chair, I must start by saying we want to pull that back. There’s nothing wrong with saying ‘we’re sorry.’ That’s not what we intended to say or be depicted by anyone. And that’s not the feeling of this board.”
How often does this happen: a black person apologizing for calling a white person a racist?
Black leaders and Democrats in Florida have pledged to defend the course and keep it in schools. Protesters will rally on Feb. 16 at the state capitol in Tallahassee.
“Black history matters,” said the Rev. R.B. Holmes, pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee, in an announcement of the rally. “Black history is not inferior. And Black history does not lack educational value.”
Gov. DeSantis has been cleaning house. He’s proposed defunding so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and barring automatic union dues withdrawals from teachers paychecks.
