Editorial: Florida has a lot of ugliness in its racial history. Deal with it.
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On Jan. 1, 1923, an angry white mob nearly wiped Rosewood, Fla. out of existence, burning and razing homes and sending residents fleeing into the nearby swamp for safety. Seven persons were killed during an evening of atrocities that included the lynching of a local blacksmith, the gang-rape of a woman and the death of one man who was forced to dig his own grave before being executed by the mob. Local newspapers called it a "race riot." This ugly bit of Florida history was anything but.
If the Rosewood Massacre rings no bells, it's not surprising. When it comes to recounting Florida's racial history, ignorance seems to be bliss. That must change, despite the current rhetoric undermining public education in our state.
The massacre — like the first recorded arrival of American slaves to colonial St. Augustine in 1687, the 1956 Tallahassee Bus Boycott and the 1951 Christmas Day bombing of civil rights leaders Harry T. and Harriet Moore — are parts of Florida history that remain overlooked and ignored. Neither Gov. Ron DeSantis, nor the two state lawmakers who represent Levy County in the Florida Legislature acknowledged the event's centennial this month. Again no shock, in a state that has gone out of its way to limit what's taught in its schools, colleges and universities. Thanks to the "Individual Freedom" law, dubbed by many as "The Stop WOKE Act," classroom discussions regarding the contributions and controversies surrounding African Americans in Florida and the nation have been legally restricted for political gain.
Perhaps Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "content of their character" quote might suffice but only if it wouldn't produce misguided complaints of anxiety and indoctrination. Such restrictions by state government only foster ignorance and undermine a quality education that promotes greater understanding of an increasingly diverse community.
No matter. Gov. DeSantis, the Florida Legislature and the State Board of Education have made it clear that any curricula, classroom discussions or guest lectures involving race and gender identity deemed too "woke" will not be tolerated, despite an earlier state law that encouraged teaching African-American history.
Somehow, the balance of teaching historic facts regarding race in Florida must be restored. Such instruction remains essential in preparing the next generation of Floridians to thrive in an increasingly diverse state, nation and world.
Florida Statute 1003.42 is still on the books. It encourages " ... students to develop an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping on individual freedoms, examine what it means to be a responsible and respectful person, for the purpose of encouraging tolerance of diversity in a pluralistic society and for nurturing and protecting democratic values and institutions." The text continues with: "Instructional personnel may facilitate discussions and use curricula to address, in an age-appropriate manner, how the individual freedoms of persons have been infringed by slavery, racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination, as well as topics relating to the enactment and enforcement of laws resulting in racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination and how recognition of these freedoms has overturned these unjust laws."
Lofty words that come with a caveat befitting Florida's stature as a state, in DeSantis' words, "where woke goes to die." In an attempt to weaponize education, state lawmakers amended the law to ensure no classroom instruction and curriculum would be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view that was inconsistent with recent "anti-woke" laws and state academic standards.
Given the law's change and how "parental rights" has transformed nonpartisan school board districts into partisan watchtowers; the education department's scrutiny of math and social science textbooks for references to Critical Race Theory, Social Emotional Learning and social justices issues; the Governor's "review" of state college and university diversity, equity and inclusion activities; the attempt to transform New South College of Florida in Sarasota into a conservative, Christian "Hillsdale College of the South" — and it's no wonder teachers and even tenured university faculty might be leery of broaching topics of race and gender in their classrooms.
Sweeping history under the rug benefits no one. It's time for state education officials to back off of the politics of fear that inform the right-wing, anti-woke rhetoric, and emphasize education that includes Florida's racial achievements as well as its setbacks.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 'Stop woke' law thwarts teaching of Rosewood and other Florida history
