Sen. Jones attacks ‘MAGA Republicans’ for playing ‘political games’ with slavery education bill
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, accused “MAGA Republicans” in the legislature of playing “political games” by putting forward a slavery education bill.
SB 1192 and its companion, HB 1139, were filed by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, and Rep. Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville. The legislation has been titled the “Kamala Harris Truth in Slavery Teaching Act.”
“Yet again, MAGA Republicans in Tallahassee are shamelessly playing political games as a means to distract from their lack of action and plans to address the challenges facing everyday Floridians,” Jones said in a press release.
“It is disheartening, though unsurprising, to see them resort to aimless, desperate trolling of Vice President Harris–tactics familiar to women and people of color in public life–rather than focusing on the issues that are top of mind for the people they serve,” he added.
The legislation was introduced in order to teach the sociopolitical circumstances surrounding the civil war and civil rights eras. Specifically it would require schools to educate students on which parties supported and opposed slavery and discrimination.
“These same elected officials claim they want to keep political ideology out of the classroom, but then inject blatant partisanship into education every chance they get,” Jones said. “Our schools don’t need more politicians involved in decision-making or attacking educators who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities.”
“It would do both Senator Ingoglia and Representative Michael a world of good to research the party of Lincoln they claim to be part of AND the dramatic party realignment that has happened in this country in the last 150 years,” he continued. “They cannot have it both ways, claiming to be on the side of freedom and civil rights when they are walking a different walk and actively dismantling Floridians’ rights and freedoms.”
Harris visited Florida in July to speak out against the state’s controversial African American history curriculum.
“The same extremists who ban books in our schools now want to replace history with lies,” Harris said at the time.
The creators of the history standards responded by explaining how it was “disappointing” that critics took their material out of context.
Ingoglia and Michael each commented on the bill filing, highlighting the importance of teaching “historically accurate” history.
“That is why it is vitally important, and historically accurate, to include that the Democrat Party not only fought for the continued abomination that was slavery, but they also adopted pro-slavery resolutions and tenets into their official party platform,” Ingoglia said.
Michael explained that, like many black Americans, she was raised “never knowing the truth” about how the Democratic Party fought to keep slavery and continuously discriminate in the decades afterwards.
“It is a valuable, yet hidden, piece of our American history,” she said. “This bill will bring forth these truths and expose the political party’s roles regarding the heinous institution of slavery.”
