Gov. Ron DeSantis says 'let's have the debate' with Vice President Kamala Harris over controversy surrounding Florida's new educational curriculum
DeSantis spoke with Fox News Digital and other news organizations after a stop at a restaurant in Concord, New Hampshire on August 1, 2023.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Tuesday mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for inviting Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss the state's newly updated standards for teaching African-American history.
Gaetz, who has endorsed former President Trump in the GOP presidential primary, reacted to DeSantis inviting Harris to have a discussion about the new education standards.
"Imagine being desperate enough to be thirsty for a Kamala visit," Gaetz wrote.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Tuesday mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for inviting Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss his newly updated standards for teaching Afrian-American history. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The controversy around Florida's new African American history curriculum caused a firestorm after critics highlighted a specific line from the new standards and suggested it was teaching that slaves "benefited" from slavery.
Harris told a Jacksonville crowd that Florida’s new curriculum replaces "history with lies," setting the tone for liberal pundits, Republican opponents, and reporters to scold DeSantis. Harris claimed middle-school students in Florida will be "told that enslaved people benefited from slavery."
DeSantis' letter responded to Harris' criticism and claimed how the state has made significant moves in reforming education by eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, passing legislation that fosters school choice, and revamping curriculum standards to focus on "basic reading, writing, arithmetic, science, civics, and history."
The Florida Department of Education (DOE) fired back at the White House over criticisms about the Sunshine State’s new African-American curriculum standards. (AP/Maya Alleruzzo)
He proceeded to invite the vice president for a conversation about the new standards.
"In Florida, we are unafraid to have an open and honest dialogue about the issues," DeSantis wrote to Harris. "And you clearly have no trouble ducking down to Florida on short notice. So given your grave concern (which I assume is sincere) about what you think our standards say, I am officially inviting you back down to Florida to discuss our African-American history standards." SAYS
"We will be happy to host you here in Tallahassee," DeSantis added.
DeSantis told Fox News that Harris' office has yet to respond to the invitation.
Vice President Kamala Harris rails against Florida's new Black history curriculum during a speech in Jacksonville, Florida on July 21, 2023. (Fox News)
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DeSantis’ letter comes after the Florida Department of Education fired back at the White House over criticisms about the Sunshine State’s new African-American curriculum standards.
The department said the Biden administration "intentionally misrepresented" their "groundbreaking work" in updating the new standards.
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