I strongly disagree with Mike Greene’s letter accusing Ron DeSantis of teaching “revisionist history” that says “slavery was good for those enslaved.” (“Slavery’s degradations can’t be forgotten,” Aug. 13).

This charge is false. The statement in question is: “Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

First of all, this has been part of AP U.S. History curricula for a long time, including the previous curriculum that Florida rejected. It is not something new that DeSantis added.

Secondly, this hardly means that slavery benefitted the slaves, just that despite their oppression, they made the best of a bad situation and learned to improve themselves for future freedom.

The real objection to DeSantis’ educational reforms is that he refuses to teach that slavery is the defining feature of America, that it was unique to America, and that people of European heritage must forever be condemned for something that only some of our ancestors did. Indeed, slavery was the norm throughout history, and what makes America and Europe special is that we decided to get rid of it.

Many people on the left feel that putting down white people will uplift Black people. Instead, it will just create more animosity and degrade everyone. That is what DeSantis is fighting against.

 

Michael Jose

Augusta

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