The Florida Board of Education on Thursday banned “critical race theory” from being taught in public schools.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appoints the 7-member board, lobbied for the effort and said it will prevent history lessons that “denigrate the Founding Fathers.”
Critics say the move aims to stop teachers from discussing racism and to downplay the cruetly associated with slavery in the U.S.
Said DeSantis in a Facebook post: “Critical Race Theory teaches our kids to hate our country and to hate each other. It is state-sanctioned racism and has no place in Florida schools.”
Said Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar: “Students deserve the best education we can provide, and that means giving them a true picture of their world and our shared history as Americans. Hiding facts doesn’t change them. Give kids the whole truth and equip them to make up their own minds and think for themselves.”
Critical race theory is not a subject taught in Florida schools. The theory was conceived in a legal context to examine how racism impacts the country’s legal, judicial and executive branches.
Opponents of school diversity programs often use the term negatively and say such programs are divisive and anti-American.
