The Tallahassee Democrat reports:
New statewide requirements on how race is discussed in schools, colleges and workplaces were approved by the Florida House, despite withering criticism that it amounts to censorship.
The measure, which drew hours of heated debate Thursday, is aimed at meeting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ demand for a Stop WOKE Act, blunting what he has warned is liberal ideology influencing the teaching of history in schools and coursing through corporate diversity training.
The legislation — which still needs Senate approval before going to DeSantis, who is certain to sign it into law — prohibits any teaching that could make students feel they bear personal responsibility for historic wrongs because of their race, color, sex or national origin.
Read the full article.
While civil rights protections are commonly seen as protecting minorities and women, the legislation, called an “act related to individual freedom,” is seen by opponents as shielding whites and men in discussions from being blamed for historic wrongs.
The measure responds to a drumbeat from conservative media that has condemned critical race theory, which examines the role discrimination has played in shaping American history and modern society.
Although not taught in Florida schools, DeSantis has advanced the fear that critical race theory threatens to influence how history and social science is taught. He got the Florida Board of Education last year to specifically ban its use in schools.
The legislation — which still needs Senate approval before going to DeSantis, who is certain to sign it into law — prohibits any teaching that could make students feel they bear personal responsibility for historic wrongs because of their race, color, sex or national origin.
At work, employment practices or training programs that make an individual feel guilty on similar grounds could be considered an unlawful employment practice – and subject a company to a lawsuit as a civil rights violation.
Democrats, particularly Black lawmakers, said the legislation is intended to diminish the inequities faced by minorities in this country, largely because it could make white students feel uncomfortable.
“I’m tired of being knocked down and told how to feel about it,” said Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, adding that the bill was a “classic example of a false equivalency.”
“We keep talking about not offending the feelings of the listener,” Driskell said. “What about the feelings of the speaker? What about my rights, my story? Moving toward a more inclusive society is a good thing.”
The legislation was amended notably to allow the discussion of racial discrimination, oppression and segregation, and how many “unjust laws” were overturned. But lawmakers bar anything intended to “indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view.”
At work, employment practices or training programs that make an individual feel guilty on similar grounds could be considered an unlawful employment practice – and subject a company to a lawsuit as a civil rights violation.
“This Legislature is opening up all our small businesses in this state to a whole new round of litigation,” said Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg. He said if someone feels “aggrieved” by what they hear in diversity training, they “can sue their employer.”
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The BLM riots were violent, but much of the violence was instigated by right wing agitators and fools like Kyle Rittenhouse. And why the violence? Not because of a lying psychotic politician. But because of persistent embedded police violence towards Black citizens. Had the January 6 insurrectionists been Black, they all would have been killed before they got inside the Capitol.
Your defense of them shows you are in league with men like Putin and trump. That speaks to deficiencies that make me seriously question your character and your integrity.
The attempt to form an equivalence between an attempt to overthrow a valid federal election with the race riots inspired by right wing agitators and their BLM counterparts is simply wrong. There is no equivalence.
The BLM folks don’t want to be shot and killed by police anymore. They’ve had enough. It doesn’t excuse what a few rioters did, but it is completely understandable, and a civil matter.
On the other hand your insurrectionists were supporting baseless, pernicious lies that you and your ilk have been spreading. They are an open, obvious threat to the United States of America.
I find it hard to believe you cannot discern the difference between race riots and treason.
Why do you hate American aspirational morality, and spout such lying, destructive garbage?
Clearly you’ve been propagandized and brainwashed, but that’s no excuse. If the US survives you and your type, historians will look back at you with open disdain for having supported the destruction of our democracy by a lying psychopath and his fawning media support.
(Oh, and Mike, you are clearly a prime example of the fawning media that supports lies and treason.)