Question to Leftists: Why do you seek to erase the rich history of black slaves?
Unveiling the Truth: Florida’s African American Studies Curriculum
Prepare for another media frenzy! The recent controversy surrounding Florida’s education system has once again captured the spotlight. This time, the focus is on how K-12 public schools in the state will teach African American studies, with a particular emphasis on slavery.
The curriculum is nothing short of comprehensive. It covers a wide range of topics, from the influential contributions of black individuals in art and literature to their significant roles in the Armed Forces and the Civil Rights Movement. Naturally, a significant portion of the curriculum delves into the history of slavery, which seems to irk critics like The New York Times’ Jamelle Bouie.
“[T]hese guidelines seem like an exercise in equivocation and blame-shifting,” wrote Bouie on Friday, “an attempt to downplay the enormity of American slavery and its defining feature, hereditary racial bondage.”
What Bouie fails to acknowledge is that what he calls “equivocation and blame-shifting” is simply providing context. Democrats and leftists often reduce slavery to a simplistic image of a cruel white plantation owner mercilessly whipping a black slave. But the reality is far more complex and nuanced.
Florida’s curriculum aims to shed light on the complete history of slavery, a practice that was not limited to America alone. Slavery was a global phenomenon, spanning continents from Asia to Europe to Africa, where the infamous Atlantic Slave Trade originated.
It’s important to address another aspect of the curriculum, specifically for grades 6-8, which explores the various duties and trades performed by slaves. The guidelines also highlight how slaves developed skills that could sometimes benefit them personally.
Here’s how NBC News interpreted that line: “New Florida standards teach students that some Black people benefited from slavery because it taught useful skills.”
Let’s set the record straight. The guidelines do not claim that black people benefited from slavery as a whole. Instead, they acknowledge that even in the midst of enslavement, black individuals acquired noteworthy skills. This highlights their resilience and adaptability in the face of unimaginable hardships.
However, critics like Bouie refuse to see American slavery as anything other than a dehumanizing institution. They fail to recognize the fascinating and multifaceted aspects of black history, where individuals not only endured but also triumphed over adversity.
It’s akin to gay film critics solely focusing on “Will & Grace” and disregarding powerful films like “Brokeback Mountain,” “Philadelphia,” or “Moonlight.”
What do you mean? Are we nothing more than the token comic relief and a woman’s best friend?
How disheartening.
Unfortunately, this is precisely how the left wants black Americans to perceive themselves, both now and in the future.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
