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Don’t Let Them Lie to You About How Florida Is Teaching History

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Florida’s Stop WOKE Act just went into effect on Friday despite leftist attempts to use the courts to block it. The law, which is intended to prevent teachers from introducing ideas inspired by critical race theory in the classroom, caused quite a bit of controversy before and after it was passed. Critics falsely claimed the legislation would stop teachers from teaching the ugly parts of America’s history when it comes to slavery, Jim Crow, and other topics.

On Monday, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Stop WOKE Act after Democrats tried to convince him to block it. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs argue that it violates the First Amendment. The measure actually prohibits lessons and training that put forth the idea that some people are inherently racist, sexist, or otherwise bigoted due to their race, skin color, or sex.

The judge ruled that they could not stop the law from going into effect because they did not show injury.

Now that the law is active, people are already complaining about training given to educators about the new civics standards for public schools. They argue that it is somehow promoting right-wing thought in class. “But several South Florida high school educators who sat through the first three-day session last week said they were alarmed that the state’s teaching methodology was infused with a Christian and conservative ideology,” according to the Miami Herald.

Of course, those complaining about the training aren’t offering much in the way of examples of “Christian and conservative ideology” being pushed in the classroom. The training appears to provide a decent blueprint for teaching the nation’s history. Most of it is factual information.

However, one of the primary complaints is that the training points out that the notion that “the “Founders desired strict separation of church and state and the Founders only wanted to protect freedom of worship.” Anyone who studies history knows this is true. In a piece for National Review, author Charles Hilu writes:

The state’s claim is certainly controversial, but it is true, nonetheless. While the Founding conception of separation of church and state protected freedom of worship, it was chiefly focused against creating an established church. The Framers did not view all public support of religion as illicit. After all, Congress held church services in the House chamber from when it first moved to Washington, D.C., until after the Civil War, with the speaker’s podium serving as the pulpit. That does not seem like an action of people who wanted religion and government in totally separate spheres.

Another point of contention was a slide that mentions Thomas Jefferson and George Washington’s opposition to slavery. The slide did not mention that both owned slaves. Of course, the training did not direct instructors from leaving that part out regardless of leftists claiming this is what the Stop WOKE Act was meant to do. Perhaps they weren’t happy about the lack of “America sucks” content in the training?

But despite the lies coming from progressives on this matter, people will eventually see that the law will not stop the teaching of the nation’s history. In fact, if one reads the bill, they know it actually mandates the teaching of all of America’s history – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Anyone with an IQ higher than Rep. Eric Swalwell’s can easily see the difference between teaching history and trying to indoctrinate children into progressive ideology when it comes to America’s issues with race. This is the real problem people have with the legislation.

Their problem isn’t teaching history. The issue is that their opposition wants all of the history taught – including the good parts of it. This is why they would take issue with the fact that both Washington and Jefferson expressed their disapproval of slavery. It is why they constantly downplay the strides America has made since the days of the “peculiar institution.” In fact, they pretty much have a problem with anyone focusing on any part of the country’s past that does not paint it as an evil and oppressive nation. This is why they are upset at the passing of the Stop WOKE Act – there is no other reason.

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