- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 551, requiring inclusion of African American history in school curriculum, undercutting previous criticism of his stance on the subject.
- The bill, which passed unanimously in the Florida House and Senate, covers a broad spectrum of African American history without advocating specific ideologies.
- Schools must now annually certify compliance with these instructional requirements and publicly share their curriculum implementation plans, with the law taking effect on July 1, 2023.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an African American studies bill (House Bill 551) into law today, a move hailed even by some Democrats as a significant stride toward more inclusive education in the state, and which has undercut the arguments of critics who recently accused DeSantis of stifling African American history education.
Previously, critics had attacked DeSantis for banning an Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course, which included controversial topics such as black feminism, black queer theory, and the reparations movement. They argued that such action was a deliberate attempt to suppress complex narratives about the African American experience.
But today’s the signing of HB 551 paints a more nuanced picture of DeSantis’s stance on the issue. The new legislation underscores Florida’s commitment to an inclusive and balanced education about African American history. The bill further highlights the importance of presenting a broad and well-rounded portrayal of history to students. That aspect was important to the bill’s sponsors, which included State Senator Cory Simon, a Tallahassee Republican, and State Rep. Christopher Benjamin, a Democrat from Miami Gardens.
“It was important to me and my constituents that this legislation was clear on the real fact that ALL of our history, the good, the bad, and the ugly would be taught to our children,” said Benjamin in a press release. “Especially, the parts of our history that reflect the plight and the victories of the African Americans that helped build this great country.”
HB 551, which passed unanimously in both the Florida House and Senate, introduces amendments to existing statutes concerning educational instruction in Florida schools. The legislation focuses on the requirement of an inclusive education about African American history.
According to the bill, African American history, ranging from the history of African peoples before slavery, through the abolitionist movement, to the contributions of African Americans across various sectors of American society, is mandated to be included in the school curriculum.
While the bill emphasizes promoting tolerance, diversity, and understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping, it also stipulates that the classroom instruction and curriculum should not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a specific point of view inconsistent with certain state academic standards.
“Political parties may differ in their idea of historical theory, but there can be no disagreement that African American history is a part of the fabric of the country and this state, and that is a mandatory part of the scholastic requirements here in Florida,” Rep. Benjamin said in a press release.
The new legislation includes stringent measures for compliance, accountability, and the implementation of this new curriculum requirement. Schools must annually certify their compliance with the Department of Education and present evidence of meeting these new instructional requirements. They are also required to post an implementation plan on their websites.
This law, which goes into effect on July 1, 2023, demonstrates a commitment to a more comprehensive and balanced presentation of African American history. Despite the criticism faced earlier, Governor DeSantis’s signing of HB 551 reinforces the fact that an accurate representation of history, without any specific persuasion or bias, is crucial for the educational development of students in Florida.