Ron DeSantis addresses controverisal Black history Florida curriculum in second GOP debate
SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: The second GOP debate was in full swing all the way in Simi Valley, California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
The healthcare system, the education system, and the border were discussed amongst other things.
As the moderators asked questions about the education system to the GOP candidates, after Nikki Haley and Christ Christie, it was Governor Ron DeSantis’ turn to talk about the Florida curriculum, or the controversy surrounding it.
Ron DeSantis attempts to make clarifications about the Florida curriculum
After Nikki Haley and Chris Christie spoke about the education systems in their respective states, South Carolina and New Jersey, the moderators moved on to Gov Ron DeSantis.
Moderator Ilia Calderón spoke directly to DeSantis, “Governor DeSantis I have a question for you. Florida’s new Black history curriculum says - slaves develop skills which in some instances could be applied for their personal benefit.”
She continued, “You have said slaves develop skills in spite of slavery, not because of it. But many are still hurt. For descendants of slaves, this is personal. What is your message to them?”
DeSantis responded, “First of all, that was a hoax that was perpetrated by Kamala Harris, we are not going to be doing that."
He added, "Second of all, that was written by descendants of slaves, these are great Black history scholars. So, we need to stop playing these games.”
Ron DeSantis talks about his personal experience with the system
Ron DeSantis explained, “Here’s the deal, our country’s education system is in decline because it’s focussed on indoctrination, denying parents rights. Florida represents the revival of American education."
"We’re ranked number one in the nation in education by US news and world report,” said DeSantis.
He also spoke about his own children, “My wife and I, we have a 6, 5, and 3-year-old, this is personal to us. We didn’t just talk about universal school choice, we enacted universal school choice."
He added, "We didn’t just talk about the Parents’ Bill of Rights, we enacted the Parents’ Bill of Rights.”
He continued, “We eliminated critical race theory, and we now have American civics in the constitution, in our schools, in a really big way, just like President Raegan asked for in his farewell address back in 1989.”