Gov. DeSantis signs race-related education bill into law - WPBF West Palm Beach
HIALEAH, Fla. —
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a race-related instruction bill into law Friday.
The "Individual Freedom" bill will take effect on July 1, 2022.
Under the measure, school instruction or workplace training would constitute discrimination if it “compels” people to believe certain concepts.
Part of the bill dealing with schools would label instruction discriminatory if it would lead students to “feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress because of actions, in which the person played no part” committed by people of the same race or sex.
Lawmakers in the House approved a change that lists certain topics educators would be allowed to teach, including lessons on “how the individual freedoms of persons have been infringed by slavery, racial oppression” and segregation.
The change was proposed by Rep. Christopher Benjamin, a Miami Gardens Democrat who is Black.
The change also would make clear that teachers can offer lessons about “topics relating to the enactment and enforcement of laws resulting in racial oppression” and discrimination.
The bill does not specifically mention critical race theory, which is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American society and institutions.
But the measure came after DeSantis announced a legislative proposal dubbed the “Stop Wrongs Against Our Kids and Employees Act,” or Stop WOKE Act.
RELATED: DeSantis introduces Stop W.O.K.E. Act in new stand against critical race theory in schools
Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, said that the measure is connected to a recent push by Republicans to target critical race theory.
“This bill is really about critical race theory, even though we say that’s not the name of it, it’s ‘freedom.’ We all know that although not explicitly mentioned in the bill, that is exactly what this is about,” Hart said.
Debate centered, in part, on whether the bill could have a chilling effect on educators' and employers’ ability to discuss real-world issues related to race.
Bill sponsor Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, defended the bill from criticism that it is part of an attempt to water down history.
“Nowhere else in the world, no other system, allows that opportunity without regard for where you came from, what you look like, through education. And our education system in this state, again while not perfect, provides that opportunity for our students. But when you’re in that classroom and you’re teaching these lessons … as the teacher, you should never know my politics. You should never know where I stand on those issues,” said Diaz, noting that he is a former educator who taught history courses.
But Black Democratic senators made impassioned arguments against the plan, focusing on the part of the bill that deals with schools.
“The bill is all about trying to blot out history. It’s also about fear. Not fear of someone feeling guilt, but fear of our young people coming together to tear down walls of division that some people want to keep up,” said Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville.
“This is a continuation of a national agenda to whitewash history, all because we don’t want white children to feel uncomfortable?” said Sen. Shevrin Jones, a West Park Democrat who is Black.
Democrats maintained that the bill would leave businesses vulnerable to lawsuits and dissuade young professionals from coming to Florida to work.
“This is not the kind of atmosphere that will increase our economic development or bring us forward to make us one of the top business-friendly states in the nation. For that reason, for the reason of humanity and, again, creating kind, tolerant, loving adults, this bill is all wrong,” said Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton.
But Diaz argued that the proposal is intended to prohibit employees from being told, as the bill says, that a person “bears responsibility for” actions of the past.
“My assurance and my intention in this (bill) is to improve the conversations in our classrooms and our workplace, to provide those trainings, to provide those lessons, without imposing responsibility on someone who did not commit the act,” he said.
To read the full text, click here.
source: https://www.wpbf.com/article/gov-desantis-signs-race-related-education-bill-into-law/39439122
Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.