Kamala Harris Blasts Florida History Curriculum, GOP Says Her Focus Should Be on Fixing Border

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during National Small Business Week in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on May 1, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Florida’s new school rules “want to replace history with lies,” Vice President Kamala Harris said.

“Extremists, so-called leaders for months have dared to ban books. Extremists here in Florida pass a law saying ‘Don’t say gay,’ trying to instill fear in our teachers that they should not live their full life and love who they love,” Ms. Harris said. Then she reassured her Jacksonville, Florida audience that “You’re not fighting out here by yourselves.”

The Florida state academic standards for social studies included a controversial provision that said instruction should include “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

The same history curriculum also calls for students to learn the “service and sacrifice” of African patriots, the history of the Underground Railroad, the writings of Africans, the “harsh conditions” of slavery, and other subjects involving African American history.

Ms. Harris focused mainly on this history curriculum but briefly mentioned LGBT issues.

Learning About Florida

Florida’s Department of Education passed three rules on July 19, according to a press release. All the rules touch on issues surrounding child sex change, although none mention the word “transgender.”

The first rule requires restrooms and changing rooms to exclusively serve biological males or biological females. The second rule orders school districts to create procedures for a parent to specify any change from the child’s legal name in school. The final rule states that students shouldn’t be exposed to inappropriate events sponsored by public schools.

“There is no higher calling than to protect our children from unwelcome influences and indoctrination,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “The rules adopted today ensure that our kids can be kids while in the care of our schools. I thank Governor Ron DeSantis, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education for their unwavering commitment to the health, wellbeing, and safety of our students.”

The Florida rules on sex change invert the laws of other states that support child sex change procedures.

In California, state laws say males can enter girls’ locker rooms unless they are a registered sex offender.

A sign outside the Santee High School's gender-neutral restrooms at their campus in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 4, 2016. Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

New Jersey’s Department of Education guidelines say if a child identifies as transgender at school, teachers should go to extreme lengths to hide the facts from parents. Teachers should prepare two transcripts for the student, one with the student’s transgender name and the other with the student’s legal name. The guidelines state that parents should only receive the transcript with the legal name.

School promotion of sexual entertainment has also been an issue in other states. In Maine, a high school used grant money to pay a drag queen to talk with LGBT-identifying students as a “role model.”

Some Florida teachers oppose Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s new rules. At the July 19 State Board of Education meeting, one teacher wearing a rainbow hat, a fake tail, and a rainbow flag leather jacket condemned the new rules.

“I’m society’s worst nightmare. I use they/them pronouns, I’m a Satanist, and I’m an educator,” she said. “You can change all your rules and try to prevent it from being in school, but people like me will always be here to educate them.”

“Florida isn’t very welcoming at all,” said Jennifer Jenkins, a Florida school board member who introduced Ms. Harris.

Education and Patriotism

Ms. Harris said she grew up in an educational system that encouraged children to exercise their thoughts.

She encouraged the crowd to be patriotic and fight for American ideals.

“Part of true patriotism means fighting for a nation that will be better for each generation to come,” Ms. Harris said

America is a role model, Ms. Harris said. Therefore, Florida’s laws will have a worldwide impact, she said. She encouraged the embrace of “truth” and “history.”

The Constitution shows an “implicit” understanding that America isn’t perfect, said Ms. Harris.

“They insult us in an attempt to gaslight us, and we will not have it,” she said.

Ms. Harris suggested that history is simple. Injustices can’t sometimes result in benefits, and victims aren’t ever perpetrators.

“Middle school students in Florida are to be told that enslaved people benefited from slavery. High schoolers may be taught that victims of violence of massacres were also perpetrators,” she said.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the conclusion of the Investing in America tour at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 14, 2023. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Ms. Harris stated that Florida’s laws substitute “propaganda” for truth.

“How is it that anyone could suggest that in the midst of these atrocities, that there was any benefit to being subjected to this level of dehumanization?” Ms. Harris asked.

There was no “benefit” to slavery, she said.

“We fought a war to end the sin of slavery,” Ms. Harris said. “Teachers want to teach the truth,”

She added that teachers need more pay.

Ms. Harris added that she opposes teachers arming themselves to protect against mass shootings.

“These are the same extremist leaders, so-called ‘leaders,’ who make teachers fear losing their job for having a photograph of their spouse on their desk,” she said, referencing Florida laws that don’t allow teachers to discuss sexual orientation with children before third grade.

DeSantis, Florida GOP Responds

Mr. DeSantis responded to Ms. Harris’s speech via Twitter.

“Democrats like Kamala Harris have to lie about Florida’s educational standards to cover for their agenda of indoctrinating students and pushing sexual topics onto children,” he said.

“Florida stands in their way and we will continue to expose their agenda and their lies,” he added.

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors national summit at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown in Philadelphia on June 30, 2023. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Florida Republicans criticized the visit, saying that Ms. Harris should have been protecting the border.

“Instead of visiting the border and stopping the millions of illegal aliens and fentanyl pouring across our border, The Border Czar has hopped on the first flight down to Florida in order to lecture Floridian parents that their children belong to the government and the government has a right to indoctrinate and sexualize our children,” Christian Ziegler, the Florida GOP chairman, commented in a press release.

“The government overreach on parental rights has already been overwhelmingly rejected in Florida, and we hope the other 49 states will join with us by telling the Biden Administration to go pound sand.”

According to Parents Defending Education public outreach director Erika Sanzi, Florida’s laws on parental rights help both parents and children.

“Guaranteeing single-sex spaces and ensuring that a child’s name not be changed behind parents’ backs are both obviously very good and important rule changes,” she told The Epoch Times in an email statement.

Meanwhile, Florida Democrats welcomed Ms. Harris and said she was fighting “fascism.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Vice President Harris to the State of Florida tomorrow, and on behalf of the people of Florida, the Florida Democratic Party thanks the Biden-Harris administration for joining us on the frontlines of the fight against fascism,” the group wrote on Twitter.