'Do not, for the love of God, tell kids that slavery was beneficial' - eviltoast
  • Umbra@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I checked the source document and it looks like an extremely comprehensive and fair overview of slavery.
    Check it out for yourselves, the African American part is right at the beginning: https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/20653/urlt/6-4.pdf
    The offending part is on page 6

    Examine the various duties and trades performed by slaves (e.g., agricultural
    work, painting, carpentry, tailoring, domestic service, blacksmithing,
    transportation).
    Clarification 1: Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be
    applied for their personal benefit.

    Maybe looks bad on its own but looking at the whole document you can see how the framing in OP is ridiculous.

    • OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Yeah, from this excerpt, in no way is it saying that slavery was good because they learned skills that later beneficial to them.

    • verbalbotanics@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      So I read the document, and I think it’s actually worse than what OP wrote. Looking through the curriculum, there’s a steady emphasis on African Americans as “patriots”

      Identify African Americans who demonstrated heroism and patriotism (e.g.,Booker T. Washington, Jesse Owens, Tuskegee Airmen, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, President…

      And conveniently there’s no mention of how systemic racism and white supremacy still exist and oppress African Americans today. Garvey, etc. Are mentioned but conveniently in the past.

      Which is what they want. Emphasize the model people and show that they can be patriots. Downplay what you don’t like. Maybe your definition of education is different but I don’t think it should be about saying we should all be good little flag salutors.

      I agree that it’s rage bait, but you can’t trust Florida on this.

      Btw the fact that America makes kids pledge an oath to a flag every morning is fucked up, just saying.

      • Umbra@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        9
        ·
        1 year ago

        “And conveniently there’s no mention of how systemic racism and white supremacy still exist and oppress African Americans today.”

        Because they shouldn’t teach fantasy in schools.