The sole Black Republican in the Senate, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday for the state’s new educational standards, which teach that some Black people profited from slavery because it gave them practical skills.
“As a nation built on freedom, slavery was the worst violation of that freedom. After a forum with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Scott, another GOP presidential candidate, responded to a reporter’s query by saying that slavery has no benefits.
“The real purpose of slavery was to split up families, mutilate people, and even rape their wives. Just devastating,” stated Scott. “So I would hope that everyone in our country would respect it, and certainly anyone running for president. Everybody has bad days. They occasionally regret what they say. We should also re-ask them to explain their perspectives.
In a 216-page document provided by the state, the Florida State Board of Education’s new standards indicate that “slaves developed skills that, in certain cases, could be obtained for their personal benefit.”
Widespread criticism of the language has been expressed, some of it coming from Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who last week slammed the criteria during a visit to Florida. The revisions, according to Harris, are intended to “replace history with lies.”
DeSantis has attempted to portray the reforms as a political battle between him and Harris while simultaneously defending the revisions and shifting the burden to the state school board, which he selects.
At the end of the day, you have a decision to make: Will you support Florida’s position or those of Kamala Harris and the liberal media? At a trip in Iowa, DeSantis told journalists. “I believe it is quite evident that these men performed well in terms of those standards. Nothing about it was political in nature.
Republicans have also voiced criticism. Another GOP candidate for president, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, has made fun of DeSantis for shifting responsibility. Additionally, Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds called on the state’s Education Department to “correct” the updated requirements this week. Donalds is supporting former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
On Wednesday, DeSantis staffers attacked Donalds. In response to a tweet from Donalds, Christina Pushaw, the campaign’s quick response director, wrote: “Did Kamala Harris create this tweet?”