JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Protesters gathered outside the Duval Public School headquarters today to voice their opposition to the newly implemented state standards for teaching African American history.
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Organized by the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, the demonstration saw more than 75 people standing in unity, calling on the school board to reject what they consider a “racist” curriculum.
Kelly Frazier, President of the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, expressed her concerns about the new standards: “It’s an atrocity to believe that they can try to change history and teach it to our children. This is not what life is about. This is not what education should be about, it should definitely be about truths.”
One particular sentence in the new standards that ignited outrage reads, “How slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”
Protesters argue that this language perpetuates a harmful narrative, suggesting that slavery had benefits for enslaved individuals.
Neal Jefferson, a Duval County Teacher, expressed his objection: “The idea that slavery was beneficial to black people is blatantly false. I don’t want to be put in a position where I have to teach a version of history that is not accurate.”
Former Duval County Teacher R.L. Gundy resigned from his position last week due to the controversial curriculum. He tore up his teaching certificate during the demonstration, symbolizing his stance.
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“That’s my teaching certificate. That’s how I feel about the state standards and what they’re doing and teaching social studies. It’s wrong, and they should have never done anything like that,” Grundy exclaimed.
Among the demonstrators was Lila Hartley, a rising 9th grader from Douglas Anderson. She was holding a sign that read, “I have no interest in learning whitewashed history.”
Anderson passionately stated, “It means that I don’t want to be learning these lies. Um, I feel very passionately about what’s happening in our state with these, like, with these laws.”
Vice President Harris, during her trip to Jacksonville last week, critiqued Florida’s Black History curriculum labeling it as ‘propaganda.’ She did not mention DeSantis by name, instead referring to “so-called leaders.”
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In response, Governor Ron DeSantis invited her to Tallahassee to discuss the matter. However, the Vice President rejected the offer, indicating a growing tension surrounding the issue.
In an exclusive interview with Action News Jax, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. defended the new standards, stating that they aimed to preserve and acknowledge the resilience of African Americans despite slavery, not to justify it as beneficial.
He asserted, “This standard is in there. It’s the truth. Not a benefit of slavery, but despite slavery, these individuals were able to preserve and acquire these skills.”
Demonstrators at the scene made it clear that they would not back down until their concerns were addressed. The rally marked a strong statement from citizens advocating for a more accurate and inclusive portrayal of African American history in school curriculum.
As the community continues to voice its concerns and demands, the future of the new state standards for teaching African American history remains uncertain.
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