Eugene Robinson: Florida curriculum on slavery is an obscene revision of Black history

[Nevilledog]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/24/florida-curriculum-slavery-benefits-desantis-offensive/

No paywall
https://archive.li/XRu4T

Florida’s decision to teach in schools that slavery in this country was of “personal benefit” to some enslaved people is obscene revisionism. It is like teaching that though Abraham Lincoln might have been assassinated, at least the performance at Ford’s Theatre that night was first-rate.

For those who doubt this obscenity is actually in the curriculum, look no further than Page 6 of Florida’s 2023 academic standards for teaching social studies: “Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

It was Gov. Ron DeSantis, running for the GOP presidential nomination as an “anti-wokeness” Savonarola, who inspired this latest effort to both-sides slavery. (Months ago, the state rejected an Advanced Placement course on African American studies, saying it “significantly lacks educational value.”) On Friday, DeSantis blamed the state Department of Education — “I wasn’t involved,” he claimed — but also defended the abomination: “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.”

Where to begin? I’ll start with my own family history. One of my great-great-grandfathers, enslaved in Charleston, S.C., was indeed compelled to learn to be a blacksmith. But he had no ability to “parlay” anything, because his time and labor were not his own. They belonged to his enslaver. He belonged to his enslaver.

*snip*

[spanone]

1. K&R

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. Anyone who says slavery benefitted Black People is either an Idiot, a Republican, or both.

Link to tweet

[brush]

3. It's not complicated. Enslaved people were never meant to be free...

so their skills and unpaid labor and output belonged to their enslaver. In fact, the enlavers fought a civil war to ensure that the enslaved were never free.

[Hekate]

4. Eugene Robinson is a wonderful writer. Thanks immensely for the gift link to WaPo.

“Obscene” is the the right word for DeSadist and all his works. Gods willing he will never get within a mike of the White House.

[BadgerMom]

5. Teachers must refuse to teach lies. Unions must back them.

I understand that teachers are not highly paid given the education and, frankly, experience required to create a masterful professional. I know not everyone is in a position to risk their job. That’s what unions are for, among other things. Have teachers’ unions weighed in?

(I taught seventh and eighth grade language arts, was department chair and a union site rep. I wouldn’t have taught this. So I’m not speaking without background.)

[Ohioboy]

6. I'm glad we're letting them know they can't add this crap without us knowing

I've heard it argued that there is a lot of overreaction over this, that the rest of the 2023 Academic Standards For Florida are good, and that they teach a lot of good truth about slavery.

Great! Then why add something that even hints that slavery may have had a good side?

The controversy isn't over all the standards- just the bad ones they are trying to slip in.


Keep the good standards and don't add BS. That is all.

[70sEraVet]

7. Great line by Mr. Robinson:

" It is like teaching that though Abraham Lincoln might have been assassinated, at least the performance at Ford’s Theatre that night was first-rate"!!

[gratuitous]

8. Gee, slavery was just a great institution

Which, for some unknown reason, White people weren't eager to join. Learn skills! Personally benefit! What a great place to start.

[Warpy]

9. DeSatan is a nasty little fucker who's trying to lock kids into his own fantasy

and will only succeed in having them rejected at colleges and universities outside Florida because everybody outside Florida will know how profoundly ignorant they are.

[Solly Mack]

10. K&R