SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 23, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah’s House Democrats issued a statement Sunday regarding comments made Friday at the State Capitol by Florida State Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Asked by reporters about the Florida Board of Education’s restrictive educational guidelines regarding teaching about slavery, and the inclusion of the theory that Black people potentially gained “personal benefits” from enslavement, DeSantis responded that he did not create those guidelines, and they were not intended to be political.
Then DeSantis went a step further, suggesting slavery taught potentially beneficial vocational skills.
“They’re probably going to show some of the folks that eventually parlayed being a blacksmith into doing things later in life,” DeSantis said. “But the reality is, all of that is rooted in whatever is factual.”
Utah House Democrats tweeted its response to DeSantis’ statement on Sunday.
“The Utah House Democrats express deep concern and disappointment in comments made in the Utah State Capitol, the People’s House, by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis,” it says. “His enabling an academic curriculum that ignores historical truths is damaging to the educational system and a step backward in the Civil Rights movement. Manufacturing any perception of benefit from the travesty of our nation’s dark history of slavery does nothing more than make a mockery of any progress toward a kinder, more equitable America.
“We are alarmed by the failure of Governor DeSantis’s Utah supporters to decry these comments. Racist rhetoric that seeks to erase the unsavory parts of our history has no place in our state’s dialogue. We must insist better from our state leaders. If we do not, we fail to do better for our state, and fail everyone in our communities who deserve to live in a world free from racism and bigotry.
“Work is still needed in our state and nation to overcome the lasting traces of racism. We call on our legislative colleagues to recognize the importance of providing better opportunities to learn from past atrocities and build a better, more inclusive future for every person. It is imperative the State of Utah continues to teach the whole truth of American history and not hide our dark past. As public officials we must not shy away from our history, but actively work to eradicate injustices in order to create a better future for all Utahns.”
