Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds clashes with DeSantis administration over new teaching standards

The only Black Republican member of Florida’s congressional delegation tussled online with the DeSantis administration Wednesday over newly adopted teaching standard that requires middle schoolers learn that some African Americans benefited from slavery.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a sophomore Republican and former state representative who endorsed former President Donald Trump for president, posted on social media early Wednesday morning that “the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong & needs to be adjusted.”

Donalds said in his tweet that the new African American learning standards generally are “robust” and “accurate.” He added that highlighting the benefits of slavery “wasn’t the goal.”

“I have faith that FLDOE will correct this,” Donalds said.

Later Wednesday, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr., said the state will not change the teaching standards “at the behest of a woke @WhiteHouse, nor at the behest of a supposedly conservative congressman.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ spokesperson Jeremy Redfern also attacked Donalds, posting on social media that “supposed conservatives in the federal government are pushing the same false narrative that originated from the @WhiteHouse.”

“Maybe the congressman shouldn’t swing for the liberal media fences like @VP,” Redfern posted.

Florida’s new teaching standards faced a huge backlash since approved last week, with Democrats and civil rights leaders condemning the state and the DeSantis administration. Vice President Kamala Harris last week visited Jacksonville to castigate Florida’s education officials while civil rights leaders hinted this week that they may sue the state.

The Florida Department of Education adopted new teaching standard for middle schoolers to learn that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” The standard will be in a new Black history curriculum for Florida students.

The state education department previously defended the standards by asserting that they provide a comprehensive view of American history and show how slaves overcame horrendous conditions and weren’t just victims.

The fight over the teaching standards, however, has turned into proxy war between DeSantis’ administration and Trump. Later Wednesday night, top Trump advisor Jason Miller posted a statement on social media praising Donalds as a “conservative hero” and calling the attempts to “smear” him a disgrace.

Donalds on Wednesday night said he generally agreed with the Florida education departments new standards but opposed “one sentence that seemed to dignify the skills gained by slaves as a result of their enslavement.”

“Anyone who can't accurately interpret what I said is disingenuous and is desperately attempting to score political points,” he said, adding, “Just another reason why l'm proud to have endorsed President Donald J. Trump!”

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday also defended the standards during a speech before the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, saying that Harris and others were lying about the composition of the Black history standards and they were “beefed” up by a task force that even included some Black scholars who had slaves for ancestors. He said that the standards do not represent that slavery was “good.”

“Are you kidding?” DeSantis said. “Who believes such nonsense?”

He contended that Harris and others responded because “we are contesting their right to use the schools to advance their agenda.”

DeSantis added: “We are teaching the honest history, good bad and ugly. Teaching all the injustices with respect to slavery and whole bunch of other things that happened. But that’s not good enough for them.”