The latest African American history curriculum authorized by the Florida Board of Education has been criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of the history of American slavery.
The curriculum has been criticized for including a part on how slaves learned valuable skills for which they benefitted.
Vice President Kamala Harris has spoken out against this theory, saying that it is wrong that this misinformation will be taught to middle school pupils.
According to Dr. William Allen, once the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights chairman and a current member of Florida’s African American History Standards Workgroup, Harris made a “categorically false” evaluation of the curriculum. Allen justified the divisive stance by arguing that Africans could thrive from their time as slaves and afterward because they were resourceful, tenacious, and adaptable.
A short clip from Allen’s interview defending the controversial line aired on Saturday’s ABC’s “World News Tonight.”
Allen argued that Africans proved resilient, resourceful, and adaptive and could develop aptitudes and skills that served them well during and after their time as enslaved people. Jeremy Redfern, press secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, tweeted several additional minutes of Allen’s interview with ABC News, focusing on Allen’s answer to Harris.
Allen has defended the curriculum’s phrasing, saying it should not be modified because of his personal family history. He underlined that the course content does not encourage acquiescence to oppression but rather resilience and adaptation. He stressed that victims of tyranny do not automatically welcome their tormentors but instead respond adaptively and create opportunities for themselves.
Allen finished the conversation by repeatedly attacking Harris for making such statements without having studied the course materials. He stressed the need to carefully read and comprehend the course materials, as only those who fail will likely provide an inaccurate account of what was covered.
