It is increasingly difficult to say what Black history means in Florida.
A host of laws and policies enacted during the controversial administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hem in teachers on all sides, requiring them to give — or stay away from — certain lessons, on penalty of possibly losing their jobs. A 2022 law mandates students may not be made to “feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress” because they were forced to reflect on bad acts committed in the past by members of their race. And now, according to curriculum standards released last week, Florida students must learn that enslaved people “developed skills” that “could be applied for their personal benefit” — an assertion that immediately drew fire from historians.
