Vice President Kamala Harris, (who carries a record low of favorability ratings) has declined an invitation from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to engage in a discussion about the state’s history curriculum.
The invitation was extended in response to Harris’s criticism of Florida’s approach to teaching the history of slavery. Harris, speaking at a convention in Orlando, dismissed the governor’s invitation as a politically motivated move.
Harris stated that she would not entertain any debate or discussion that attempts to deny the fact of slavery’s inhumanity. She emphasized that slavery had no redeeming qualities, a statement made in response to Florida’s new educational curriculum which includes a component on Black history that has been criticized for potentially downplaying the negative impacts of slavery.
Governor DeSantis, in a letter sent earlier this week, defended Florida’s educational system, stating that it was committed to teaching truth, not partisan narratives. He highlighted the state’s focus on basic subjects such as reading, writing, arithmetic, science, civics, and history, and its rejection of ‘Critical Race Theory’ and ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ initiatives in school administration and hiring practices.
DeSantis, who is reportedly seeking his party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election, accused politicians in Washington, D.C., of maligning Florida and its residents. He claimed that the Biden administration has repeatedly disparaged Florida and spread misinformation about its education system. DeSantis argued that Harris’s criticisms were not just directed at him, but also at the people of Florida who have worked hard on the state’s education system.
