Florida town, students resist letting state’s war on Black history be forgotten

MSNBC

18 Aug 202312:21

Summary

TLDRThe video script delves into Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's contentious educational policies, focusing on their impact on teaching Black history, particularly the Ocoee Massacre of 1920. It highlights the state's rejection of an AP African American Studies curriculum and the introduction of new standards that mandate a controversial narrative, including the personal benefits of slavery and violence against and by African Americans. The script features interviews with teachers, students, and community members of Ocoee, grappling with the state's historical revisionism and their efforts to preserve the truth of their past.

Takeaways

😀 Governor Ron DeSantis has been actively involved in shaping education policies in Florida, particularly focusing on anti-woke initiatives and influencing public classrooms.
🏛️ DeSantis' policies have led to restrictions on teaching about racism in Florida schools, impacting how teachers plan their lessons and discuss sensitive topics.
🏫 The governor's influence extended to New College, a public liberal arts school, where new trustees were appointed with the goal of promoting conservative values.
📚 Florida rejected the AP African American Studies curriculum and introduced new standards for teaching black history, which include controversial elements like the 'personal benefit of slavery'.
📜 The new curriculum mandates that lessons on race massacres must include acts of violence by both white and African Americans, which some argue distorts the historical context.
🏡 The script discusses the historical event of the Ocoee Massacre in 1920, where African Americans were killed for attempting to vote, and the subsequent cover-up and historical erasure.
🔍 The script highlights the ongoing struggle of teachers in Florida to teach the truth under the new standards, with some educators refusing to comply with what they see as a mandate to teach lies.
🗣️ Community members and educators in Ocoee are actively working to ensure that the true history of the massacre is not forgotten and is taught accurately.
👨‍🏫 Professor Marvin Dunn is highlighted for taking teachers to historical sites to provide them with firsthand knowledge of Ocoee's history, countering the state's narrative.
👨‍🎓 Students in Ocoee are determined to learn the truth about their local history, even if it's not being taught in schools, showing a commitment to understanding their past.

Q & A

What was the focus of Governor Ron DeSantis' campaign during the show's first year?
-During the show's first year, Governor Ron DeSantis was in the middle of a successful re-election campaign and had just begun his war on 'woke' culture.
How did Governor DeSantis' policies impact Florida schools?
-Governor DeSantis' policies led to policing language in Florida schools, making it difficult for teachers to teach about racism if it caused discomfort among students.
What was the significance of New College's hostile takeover by Governor DeSantis?
-The hostile takeover of New College was part of an effort to transform the small public liberal arts school into a model of conservatism, with new trustees appointed to achieve this mission.
What was the controversy surrounding the AP African American Studies curriculum in Florida?
-Florida rejected the curriculum from AP African American Studies and later approved new standards for teaching Black history, including controversial elements like mandating lessons on the personal benefit of slavery.
What historical event in Ocoee is now being taught in Florida schools due to the new curriculum?
-The new curriculum in Florida schools, championed by Governor Ron DeSantis, mandates that students learn about the Election Day riots in Ocoee in 1920.
Why were the events of November 1920 in Ocoee largely forgotten until recently?
-The events of November 1920 in Ocoee, which included a massacre and significant loss of life, were largely forgotten until the new curriculum brought them back into focus.
What is the main concern of the teachers and community members in Ocoee regarding the new history standards?
-Teachers and community members in Ocoee are concerned that the new history standards require them to teach a distorted version of history that obscures the facts of the massacre and the racial violence against Black citizens.
How are teachers responding to the requirement to teach a certain version of history in Florida?
-Teachers are resisting the requirement, stating they will not teach lies and are determined to uphold the truth of history, even if it means defying the state's mandates.
What actions are being taken by the community in Ocoee to address the historical inaccuracies in the curriculum?
-The community in Ocoee is getting involved by organizing town hall meetings, starting petitions, and advocating for factual and balanced history to be taught in classrooms.
What is the students' perspective on learning the truth about their local history in Ocoee?
-Students are determined to learn the truth about what happened in their own backyard, regardless of what the state of Florida says, and recognize the importance of acknowledging past history for the nation to heal.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Florida's Anti-Woke Movement

The script discusses Governor Ron DeSantis' political activities, focusing on his re-election campaign and his war on 'woke' culture. It details his efforts to influence public classrooms in Florida, aiming to turn them into battlegrounds against progressive ideologies. The script also covers his attempts to control language in schools, particularly around discussions of racism. The narrative then shifts to his influence over New College, a liberal arts school, and the installation of trustees with a mission to promote conservatism. The paragraph concludes with DeSantis' attempts to reshape the narrative around Black History, including the rejection of an AP African American Studies curriculum and the introduction of new standards that controversially mandate discussions on the 'personal benefits of slavery' and require lessons on race-related violence to include acts by both African Americans and others.

05:02

🗞️ The Ocoee Massacre and its Aftermath

This section delves into the historical context of the Ocoee Massacre of 1920, one of the worst incidents of election-day violence in U.S. history. It describes the intimidation and threats faced by African Americans who attempted to vote, leading to a massacre that resulted in a significant loss of life and property. The script highlights the efforts of Governor DeSantis to include this event in the school curriculum but with a specific focus on acts of violence by and against African Americans, which some argue distorts the true nature of the event. The narrative includes the experiences and reactions of the local community, including descendants of the victims, who are striving to ensure that the history is accurately taught and remembered.

10:06

📚 The Fight for Accurate History Education

The final paragraph addresses the ongoing struggle of teachers and students in Ocoee and across Florida to learn and teach the truth about the Ocoee Massacre, despite the state's controversial educational standards. It features interviews with teachers who are determined not to teach lies and students who feel a responsibility to learn and share their own history. The script also mentions the efforts of community leaders, like State Senator Geraldine Thompson, to involve the community in preserving the historical standards and to send petitions to the Commissioner of Education. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the past to heal as a nation and the determination of the community to fight for a truthful representation of history in education.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis is the Governor of Florida mentioned in the script. He is a central figure in the video's narrative due to his policies and actions that have significant impacts on education and historical representation in Florida. His re-election campaign and his 'war on woke' are highlighted, indicating his influence on shaping the state's educational and cultural landscape.

💡Woke

The term 'woke' refers to a heightened awareness of social and racial issues, particularly in the context of politics and culture. In the script, DeSantis's 'war on woke' suggests a political stance against progressive ideologies, which is reflected in his policies affecting public classrooms and educational institutions.

💡Anti-Woke Battlegrounds

This term from the script describes the transformation of public classrooms into spaces where conservative ideologies are promoted in opposition to 'woke' values. It illustrates the contentious nature of educational content in Florida under DeSantis's governance, where certain historical and social issues are being redefined or restricted.

💡New College

New College is a small public liberal arts school in Florida that is mentioned as a target of DeSantis's educational reforms. The script discusses the appointment of new trustees with a mission to transform the school into a model of conservatism, indicating a broader effort to reshape educational institutions according to specific political ideologies.

💡Black History

The script discusses the controversy surrounding the teaching of Black history in Florida, particularly the rejection of the AP African American Studies curriculum and the introduction of new standards that include contentious elements. This keyword is central to the video's theme, which critiques the manipulation and politicization of historical education.

💡Ocoee Massacre

The Ocoee Massacre is a historical event referred to in the script, where African American residents were violently attacked and killed for attempting to vote. It is a significant part of the video's narrative, as it highlights the erasure and misrepresentation of such events in the state's educational curriculum.

💡Voting Rights

Voting rights are a recurring theme in the script, particularly in the context of the Ocoee Massacre, where the right to vote was violently contested. The video uses this keyword to underscore the historical struggle for equal rights and the ongoing relevance of these issues in contemporary society.

💡Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation in the script refers to the inaccurate or biased portrayal of historical events, such as the Ocoee Massacre, in educational materials. It is a critical issue raised in the video, as it points to the manipulation of history to serve political agendas and the consequences this has for public understanding.

💡Educational Standards

Educational standards are the guidelines and requirements set for what is taught in schools. In the context of the video, these standards are being critiqued for their role in shaping a biased narrative of history, particularly in relation to the teaching of Black history and events like the Ocoee Massacre.

💡Historical Erasure

Historical erasure is the act of omitting or obscuring significant events from historical records or educational curricula. The script uses this term to describe how the events of the Ocoee Massacre were largely forgotten until recent efforts to include them in the curriculum, highlighting the importance of preserving and teaching the full scope of history.

💡Community Engagement

Community engagement is emphasized in the script as a way to counteract the state's educational policies and ensure a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of history. It involves local figures, educators, and students in efforts to preserve and share the truth about historical events, such as the Ocoee Massacre.

Highlights

Governor Ron DeSantis' re-election campaign and his initiation of a war on 'woke' culture.

DeSantis' influence on public classrooms in Florida, turning them into anti-woke battlegrounds.

The impact of DeSantis' policies on teachers planning lessons around restrictions on discussing racism.

The hostile takeover of New College and its transformation into a model of conservatism.

DeSantis' presidential campaign struggling, focusing on his crusade against Black history.

Florida's rejection of the AP African American Studies curriculum.

New standards for teaching Black history, including lessons on the personal benefit of slavery.

The historical events in Ocoee, Florida, and the threat to the town's history education.

The 1920 Ocoee Election Day Massacre and its impact on the African American community.

The forgotten history of the massacre and the efforts to bring it to light.

The new curriculum in Florida schools mandating the inclusion of acts of violence by and against African Americans.

Community efforts to correct historical inaccuracies and protect factual history in education.

Teachers' refusal to teach lies and their commitment to factual history.

Students' determination to learn the truth about their own history, despite state restrictions.

The importance of acknowledging past history to heal as a nation and prevent its repetition.