Florida Board of Education bans critical race theory

The Florida Board of Education decided on Thursday to ban critical race theory from the classroom, ABC 3 News reported.

“Florida’s education system exists to create opportunity for our children. Critical Race Theory teaches kids to hate our country and to hate each other. It is state-sanctioned racism and has no place in Florida schools,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said after the decision.

Florida’s education system exists to create opportunity for our children. Critical Race Theory teaches kids to hate our country and to hate each other. It is state-sanctioned racism and has no place in Florida schools. pic.twitter.com/ludv7ARgNP

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 10, 2021

A host of Republican-led state legislatures around the country have been working to ban critical race theory, which seeks to examine history and the law through the lens of race.

Critics of critical race theory reject the notion the theory proposes that America’s founding was built on racism and American institutions today are still inherently racist. 

Proponents of the theory say America’s founding and institutions today are inherently racist and teaching it in schools gives children the opportunity to learn about institutionalized racism.

“The woke class wants to teach kids to hate each other, rather than teaching them how to read, but we will not let them bring nonsense ideology into Florida’s schools,” said DeSantis. 

“As the Governor of Florida, I love this state, and I love my country. I find it unthinkable that there are other people in positions of leadership in the federal government who believe that we should teach kids to hate our country. We will not stand for it here in Florida. I’m proud that we are taking action today to ensure our state continues to have the greatest educational system in the nation,” he added.

The Florida Education Association opposed the ban and pleaded with the board to at least take certain language out of the new rule including “indoctrinate,” according to the local outlet. 

“Students deserve the best education we can provide, and that means giving them a true picture of their world and our shared history as Americans. Hiding facts doesn’t change them. Give kids the whole truth and equip them to make up their own minds and think for themselves,” Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar said before the ban was put in place.