“A Ridiculous Attempt at Whitewashing History”: Florida Churches Reject DeSantis’ War on Black History

William FurneyNov 19, 2023

Minute Read

Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis’ war on education has been dealt a crushing setback after churches and community groups in the Sunshine State rejected his “watering down of black history” and decided to teach it in full themselves.

DeSantis’ Ban on Black Books

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The Florida governor said earlier this year that books relating to Advanced Placement African American Studies would no longer be permitted in state schools, leading to outrage among many in the black community who accused him of trying to rewrite the past.

‘Woke’ Black Topics

The DeSantis administration said it did not agree with topics such as black queer studies, black feminist literary thought, the Black Lives Matter and reparations movements and Black Struggle in the 21st Century — arguing that they were a result of “wokeism.”

‘Wrong Side of Florida Line’

The governor said: “What’s one of the lessons about? Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of black history is queer theory? That is somebody pushing an agenda on our kids. And so when you look to see they have stuff about intersectionality, abolishing prisons, that’s a political agenda. And so we’re on — that’s the wrong side of the line for Florida standards.”

DeSantis Education Restrictions

The DeSantis administration has introduced policies limiting how subjects such as race, gender and sexuality are taught in Florida schools.

‘Ideological Agenda’

Saying so-called woke topics are “a veneer to impose an ideological agenda … that is wrong,” the Florida governor withdrew funding for inclusivity and diversity studies at state universities.

Slaves ‘Benefited from Slavery’

Florida’s new educational approach to black history controversially requires that students be taught that there were benefits for slaves because they “developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit” — causing further consternation among the public.

Churches Reclaiming Studies

Now, following the governor’s clampdown on black history, churches in Florida are stepping up to teach black topics to students themselves.

Pastor’s Disbelief

Pastor Alphonso Jackson of the New Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Florida said he was astounded by DeSantis’ policy towards black education.

Turning to Anger

The pastor told NBC News: “My initial reaction was of disbelief, but then it turned to anger.” He said many people were coming to his and other places of worship to access books DeSantis had banned because they wanted to learn the real truth about black history in the state. “It’s up to us to be able to write our own story and tell the truth,” he said.

Harsh Words for DeSantis

People were not so kind online to DeSantis’ education reforms. One said: “It’s a ridiculous attempt at whitewashing history.” Another opined: “He’s the kind of guy who thinks being criticized means he’s doing it right.” While still another person on the discussion site, under the handle Dubyew, said: “This revisionist history is disgusting.”

DeSantis’ Presidential Campaign

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The Florida governor’s education battle comes at a time when his presidential campaign has also been suffering. DeSantis, 45, had been viewed as a viable candidate to former president Donald Trump, who is 77 and engulfed in a mountain of legal problems that includes four indictments carrying 91 federal criminal charges.

Plummeting in the Polls

But while DeSantis’ campaign for the Republican nomination in primaries to be held in January got off to a solid start, it soon stalled, over a range of issues, and fell about 30 points in national polling and has remained there. Trump, meanwhile, is the leading GOP candidate for the nomination, polling about 50 points ahead of the entire Republican field.

Some 2024 Hope for DeSantis

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DeSantis may take some solace, say political analysts, from the many problems the Republican frontrunner is facing and that threaten to derail his White House hopes. They include not only his many legal problems, which could see him jailed, but also his age. At 77 and having suffered a series of recent gaffes, including memory losses, a growing number of Republicans say he’s too old to run again.

Trump Attack

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In a recent post on X, formerly Twitter, DeSantis suggested Trump had nothing new to offer.

“Trump rallies today give me deja vu,” he said. “He’s promising a lot of the same things he didn’t deliver on as president. Build the wall and make Mexico pay for it? Didn’t happen. Drain the Swamp? Didn’t happen. Reducing the debt? Didn’t happen. Instead, he added over $7 trillion.”