Yesterday, Vice President Harris delivered a speech in Jacksonville as she continues fighting back against Florida’s new education standards for how Black history would be taught in schools – the latest in extremist attacks on fundamental freedoms across the nation.
“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,” Vice President Harris said about the newly approved standards that could lead to students being taught that enslaved people benefited from slavery. “It is not only misleading, it is false and it is pushing propaganda.”
| The Vice President’s remarks came after she convened students, parents, educators, civil rights leaders, and elected officials to address these attempts to push forward a revisionist history. She also highlighted the coalitions required to protect fundamental freedoms, including the freedom for women to make decisions about their own bodies, the freedom to live safe from gun violence, the freedom to love who you love, and the freedom to vote. Vice President Harris’ travel to Jacksonville was her eighth visit to Florida since being sworn in. Yesterday’s speech is also a continuation of the Vice President fighting for students, and leading the fight for fundamental freedoms across the country. “Let’s be clear, I do believe this is not only about the state of Florida. There is a national agenda afoot,” said the Vice President. “Extremist so-called leaders for months have dared to ban books…now, on top of all of that, they want to replace history with lies.” She closed her remarks by urging Americans to, “think about what this creates as a moment for us to also rededicate ourselves to the coalition, our responsibility at moments like this to understand that nobody should be made to fight alone. We are all in this together.” |
| Read more about the Vice President’s visit: CNN: Harris accuses ‘so-called leaders’ of pushing propaganda and waging culture wars in fiery Florida speech NBC: Harris says Florida officials trying to ‘replace history with lies’ through new curriculum Orlando Sun-Sentinel: Vice President Harris slams Florida’s Black history standards in Jacksonville speech |