Calls for more transparency are brewing after the Florida Department of Education approved last week new standards to the African American history curriculum, which has resulted in nationwide criticism.
The new curriculum includes instructions for students to learn how African Americans “developed skills” while enslaved “which, in some instances could be applied for their personal benefit.”
Some opponents to the changes said this language “waters down” a dark period in our country’s history.
According to state documents and officials, a 13-member group was formed from a pool of 40 applicants to set the new standards. The search for these members started in August 2022.
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In a statement, a spokesperson from the Florida Department of Education said the group consisted of “educators and academics including nominations from the Commissioner’s African American History Task Force.”
But Dr. Donna Austin, one of at least 10 members of the task force says several members were left in the dark about the updates, until they were already finalized.
“No, we were not approached,” Dr. Austin said. “We do not agree with these standards that are degrading to African and African American people. The way I feel about not being contacted is being left out.”
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Dr. Austin says it was commonplace in the past for the state to consult the task force during conversations about updating standards.
According to Dr. Austin, the task force was created in 1994 to help implement changes in curriculum and to help educate instructors on African American history.
Dr. Austin raised questions surrounding six recently-appointed members of the task force she says were never revealed to her or posted to the task force’s website. At least one of those new members was part of the 13-member working group that helped draft the new African American History standards.
“I think that’s by design. I’ve asked for their names and contact information and have not received it yet,” Dr. Austin said.
According to Paul Burns, the state’s chancellor for grades K-12, the working group met several times between February and May 2023.
Qualifications for the job included but were not limited to having previous experience teaching African American history, being a school lead history teacher or holding a state educator certificate in social science or elementary education, according to a memo obtained by NBC6.
NBC6 also obtained a list of the 13-member working group from a source close to the task force, but the Florida Department of Education’s media representatives and other officials involved in the selection process have yet to return a request to confirm the list.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office didn’t answer our specific questions. But in an email, a spokesperson said “the curriculum was authored by a group of scholars and educators” and forwarded a link to a FOX News interview where one of the working group members, Dr. William Allen, pushed back on criticism.
“They have an agenda, and they only want slavery to be told from a certain perspective,” Dr. Allen said in the interview.
Earlier this week, both Dr. Allen and Frances Presley Rice, who are part of the working group, released a joint statement defending the changes to the standards, calling them “rigorous and comprehensive.”
Rice is the chair of the National Black Republican Association.
Dr. Allen and Dr. Rice have not returned our direct request for comment.
