Polls reveal the real reason Ron DeSantis is fighting the teaching of Black history

[Nevilledog]

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/desantis-black-history-course-ban-part-2024-plan-rcna68266

The backlash is rightfully growing to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blocking a proposed Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being taught in Florida high schools. Black leaders held a rally in Florida denouncing DeSantis; prominent lawyer Ben Crump threatened to sue DeSantis and his administration on behalf of Black students; and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, called out DeSantis as an “extremist.”

If you think this backlash will cause DeSantis to back down, then you don’t understand what’s at play. Despite his claim that he wants to ensure that Florida’s students are not “indoctrinated," that’s not what his opposition is about. It is solely about DeSantis making himself more popular with the GOP base in order to win the 2024 presidential nomination. That’s why parsing through his stated objections to this AP course is a waste of time. In DeSantis’ view, banning a Black history course will make him more popular. This is what toxic white identity politics looks like.

After all, the legal basis for the ban on this AP African American studies course is the “Stop WOKE” Act DeSantis championed and signed into law in 2022. Portions of the Florida law that deal with employers and public colleges have been put on hold in two separate federal court decisions. In the November ruling addressing public universities and colleges, the judge slammed the law by quoting the first sentence of 1984, George Orwell’s famous novel about life under a totalitarian government: “‘It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen,’ and the powers in charge of Florida’s public university system have declared the State has unfettered authority to muzzle its professors in the name of ‘freedom.’” The judge added, “This is positively dystopian.”

The "Stop WOKE" law was part of the national GOP’s war on what they dubbed “critical race theory” (“CRT”) designed to curtail, and even ban, discussions on race in schools. Florida is one of 18 GOP-controlled states that enacted such law between 2021 and 2022. So-called CRT bans are supported by supported by 80% of Republicans nationwide, which the ambitious DeSantis fully grasps.

*snip*

[Irish_Dem]

1. Every single thing DeSantis does is about being POTUS.

Last edited Mon Jan 30, 2023, 08:41 PM - Edit history (1)

[Timeflyer]

2. Yes, absolutely everything. Whatever it takes, no shame.

[Irish_Dem]

8. MTG is doing the same. She wants to be VP, then POTUS.

[Cha]

3. Hope it BACKFIRES on his

Fucking Dumb ASS.. In So Many Ways!

[CharleyDog]

4. vindictive racism plays so well with the RW fascist crowd

DeSantis just can't resist that sweet sweet approval and the big donors.

DeSantis had schools close their libraries, now they're afraid of ALL the books until they're "approved"

So many books what to do with them, too many to move and no where to put them.

"Burn them" - DeSantis, probably. /s

[Jarqui]

5. He's alienating LBGTQ, African Americans, women who support abortion,

people who are more reasonable about Covid, etc

That will make it tough for him in the general.

[babylonsister]

10. Most librarians and teachers, too. Add in the outraged

parents...

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Objection to any kind minority studies/ minority anything goes back a long way.

It's been grist for the mill of right wing talk radio since the 60s.

[Skittles]

7. it's what makes him so sickening

he's pandering to MAGAts solely for his own interests, America be DAMNED

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Playing the race card in other words

[panader0]

11. That DeSantis and other repubs oppose CRT or want to ban books or abortion only serves

to highlight those issues in the public mind. When I was young I wanted to do everything that was forbidden.