'No silver lining in slavery': Tim Scott blasts Ron DeSantis on Florida's new Black history standards

Sen. Tim Scott, a 2024 candidate and the only Black Republican in the Senate, has long accused Democrats of weaponizing race for power. But on Thursday he took aim at a leader in his own party.

"There is no silver lining in slavery," Scott told reporters after a town hall in Ankeny, Iowa.

His comments were a response to new Black history standards in Florida public schools − changes led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Scott's fellow competitors for the 2024 GOP nomination.

In Florida, new standards teach that Black people may have benefited from slavery by "developing skills" that could be used for their personal advantage. The new language in a state document specifically says: "Slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit."

In Iowa, Scott rebuked that and said slavery was "the greatest deprivation of freedom."

"What slavery was really about was separating families, about mutilating humans and even raping their wives. It was just devastating," Scott said. "So I would hope that every person in our country − and certainly running for president − would appreciate that."

DeSantis has blamed Democrats and the media for the backlash and has ultimately defended the state education board he appointed.

"I think it's very clear that these guys did a good job on those standards," he said to reporters in Iowa.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tim Scott blasts Ron DeSantis on Florida's new Black history standards