On July 19th 2023, several controversial changes were approved by Florida’s Board of Education in regards to the Black History curriculum in public school systems. The coursework corrections stated that Black Americans learned valuable skills when they were enslaved. In addition, the Board added certain descriptions about various massacres of this minority group.
These changes are the newest altercations since the “Stop Woke Act,” a Florida state law enacted in July of 2022 that prohibits the teaching of certain topics related to race. Both adjustments were made to better fit Governor Ron DeSantis’s vision for Florida’s education system.
The changes made this year specifically highlight the Board of Education’s requirement for middle school students to be instructed on how “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit” (NBC). In addition, the Board now requires high school students to learn about certain events, such as the 1920 Ocoee Massacre, which are described with very specific wording. In this case: as an “act of violence perpetrated against and by African Americans” (NBC).
These recent regulations do not stop Florida schools from teaching about Black history. However, many speculate that the Board opted to educate students with a “dishonest” depiction of slavery in America, ultimately creating a biased curriculum.
