Scott throws more fire on Florida curriculum updates: Slavery ‘antithetical to who we are’

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) further weighed in on Florida’s updated educational curriculum on slavery in an interview on Friday, arguing that slavery is “antithetical to who we are” and that it “doesn’t need to be explained, that just needs to be digested.”

During a podcast interview with NH Journal on Friday, Scott was asked about his comments over updated and controversial educational guidelines in Florida that have drawn criticism from members of both parties, including Vice President Harris and Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) and John James (R-Mich.)

Harris alleged that officials were trying to “push propaganda to our children” while Donalds said in a tweet that “the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong & needs to be adjusted.”

Among some of the points that have drawn controversy is one that says that “instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Scott first weighed in on the curriculum on Thursday, saying “there is no silver lining in slavery.”

“Slavery was really about separating families, about mutilating humans and even raping their wives. It was just devastating,” he added.

But the South Carolina Republican doubled down on Friday, noting “what I said isn’t controversial at all.”

“Slavery has no redeeming benefit, no redeeming value. There’s no silver lining in slavery,” he told the podcast. “The fact is very clear that what slavery was about was the antithetical to who we are as Americans. We founded this nation upon the notion of freedom. Slavery is the deprivation of freedom.”

“It is antithetical to who we are, that doesn’t need to be explained, that just needs to be digested. And so truth be told, whether you’re Kamala Harris or Ron DeSantis, having an opportunity to restate your position against slavery is always something that should be welcomed by all people — conservatives, liberals, black, white, rich, poor, red, blue, doesn’t really matter as long as we focus on the reality that more benefits all of us come when we have a serious conversation about the future of America looking through the windshield,” he continued.

Scott claimed that by being distracted these issues, Americans “find ourselves once again entangled in a hot mess in the rearview mirror that isn’t necessary.”

When reached for comment, a DeSantis spokesperson pointed to the governor’s comments on Friday when he was first asked about Scott’s initial comments. 

“You know I think part of the reason our country has struggled is because D.C. Republicans all too often accept false narratives, accept lies that are perpetrated by the left,” DeSantis said on Friday.

“And to accept the lie that Kamala Harris has been perpetrating even when that has been debunked, that’s not the way you do it. The way you do it, the way you lead is to fight back against the lies, is to speak the truth,” he added. “So I’m here defending my state of Florida against false accusations and against lies. And we’re going to continue to speak the truth.”

DeSantis has previously defended the Florida educational curriculum on slavery. Sparring with a reporter on Thursday over whether he believed there were benefits to slavery, the Florida governor said, “that’s not what the curriculum says. The curriculum is very clear.”

“Anyone that actually read that and listens to Kamala [Harris] would know that she’s lying,” DeSantis added. “That particular provision about the skills, that was in spite of slavery not because of it.”

But the Florida slavery curriculum has created a dustup between several Black lawmakers, including Scott, Donalds, Hunt and others, and comes as DeSantis has grappled with a slew of negative headlines in recent weeks amid staff layoffs and a struggle to close the gap against former President Trump. 

— Updated 10:20 a.m.