Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Florida GOP racists double down on whitewashing civil rights history

 Welcome to American history, Emily.

Photo credit:  Will Counts Collection Indiana University Archives 
Headlinemsn.com, 3/28/2023
Emily Conklin, development director for the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, filed a formal challenge dated March 6 complaining that the film about a 6-year-old who integrated New Orleans schools in the 1960s was not appropriate for second graders because, she wrote, students might learn that white people hate Black people, and the Pinellas County School Board pulled it from the curriculum, reported the Tampa Bay Times
“Think about it: A 6-year-old girl (Ruby Bridges) can go to school every day with armed guards, but second graders can’t learn about it?” said Ric Davis, president of Concerned Organization for Quality Education for Black Students. “It doesn’t make any sense.” 
The 1998 film had been part of Black History Month lessons for years without controversy, but parents across the state have been challenging materials that depict or explore racism and LGBTQ issues with the encouragement of Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican legislators[emphasis added]

 

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