Governor Ron DeSantis’s bid for the presidency might be faltering due to his robotic and uncharismatic demeanor, as well as his constant staff changes. However, the consequences of his actions in Florida are still being felt throughout the state. The Florida Department of Education recently announced that teachers in grade schools can use videos from PragerU Kids, produced by Dennis Prager, in their classrooms. Despite its name, PragerU is not an actual university and openly admits this on its website. Furthermore, the Southern Poverty Law Center has criticized PragerU for its connection to the extreme right. Prager himself has made controversial statements, such as defending the use of racial slurs and spreading false information about race-related incidents on college campuses.
The decision to incorporate PragerU’s videos into Florida’s education system is deeply problematic. One video, for example, depicts Christopher Columbus presenting a distorted version of his interaction with Indigenous people upon arriving in the Bahamas. In reality, Columbus saw the Indigenous as potential slaves and engaged in acts of violence and exploitation. Another video featuring Frederick Douglass misrepresents his stance on slavery and ignores the compromises made by the founding fathers. These videos promote a false narrative that distorts history to paint a more positive image of America’s past.
By allowing these videos in classrooms, DeSantis is perpetuating a whitewashed version of history that is harmful to students. Frederick Douglass, a prominent Black leader and abolitionist, would be appalled by the way his words and legacy are being used to downplay the atrocities of slavery. These videos appeal to an idealized version of history that makes people feel good without challenging their beliefs. In reality, history is complex and often uncomfortable, but it is essential to confront the truth in order to learn and grow.
DeSantis claims to stand for education rather than indoctrination, yet his decision to incorporate PragerU’s videos contradicts this statement. Prager openly admits to indoctrinating children and questions whether there is anything wrong with it. This blatant hypocrisy exposes the true motives of conservatives like DeSantis: they are not opposed to indoctrination itself, but rather seek to control the narratives and ideologies taught in schools. This undermines the integrity of education and does a disservice to students who deserve an unbiased and accurate understanding of history.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
