Ron DeSantis Invites Vice President Kamala Harris To Discuss New Slavery Curriculum

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has invited Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss the state’s new controversial African American history benchmark.

In a letter obtained by ABC News, DeSantis has extended an invitation to the vice president after her response to Florida’s new academic standards. “I am prepared to meet as early as Wednesday of this week, but of course want to be deferential to your busy schedule should you already have a trip to the southern border planned for that day,” he wrote. “Please let me know as soon as possible. What an example we could set for the nation—a serious conversation on the substance of an important issue! I hope you’re feeling up to it.”

Florida recently released its 2023 State Academic Standards for Social Studies, which includes changes to how slavery in the United States is taught. Starting this year, teachers across the state are now instructed to teach that slaves “developed skills” which could be “applied for their own personal benefit.” The decision incited anger across platforms from many leaders, including Harris.

During a speech at the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority National Convention on July 20, Harris said, “They insult us in an attempt to gaslight us, and we will not stand for it. We who share a collective experience in knowing we must honor history in our duty in the context of legacy. There is so much at stake in this moment.” She tweeted the following day, once again expressing her anger and promising to “fight back.”

Though faced with backlash, DeSantis and Dr. William B. Alle,n who co-authored the pamphlet,t defended themselves, with DeSantis taking to Twitter to respond.

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.

Florida stands in their way and we will continue to expose their agenda and their lies.

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) July 21, 2023

Allen spoke to Local 10 News about the changes. “We need to tell the people’s stories the way they told their stories, not to fit our expectations,” he said. “The stories of the people who lived through the history, they have a right to tell the story in their own words, and what we have provided for is the telling of those stories as they told it.”

In the letter, DeSantis once again defended his position. “Over the past several weeks, the Biden Administration has repeatedly disparaged our state and misinformed Americans about our education system. Our state pushed forward nation-leading standalone African American History standards—one of the only states in the nation to require this level of learning about such an important subject. One would think the White House would applaud such boldness in teaching the unique and important story of African American History,” he wrote. The vice president has yet to respond.