NAACP issues Florida travel advisory on anti-black history education laws

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The advisory implores current residents to “defeat the policies of this governor and this state legislature.”

Over the weekend, the NAACP’s board of directors voted to issue a formal travel advisory to warn people of color and LGBTQ people about “hostile” conditions in the state of Florida.

The advisory, published Saturday, was originally proposed by the Florida chapter of the NAACP, which requested the national organization issue such an advisory in March. The recommendation comes after a week. Ron DeSantis (R) — who has signed several bills barring public school teachers across the state from teaching major black history courses in the classroom — signed legislation banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public colleges. throughout the state.

The recommendation specifically states that DeSantis and other Republicans’ attacks on black history education create an atmosphere of hostility toward non-whites.

“Before you travel to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues ​​and marginalizes the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color,” he says.

The NAACP urges those who must go to Florida to join the NAACP to fight “unjust attacks on civil liberties, the principles of diversity and inclusion, the right to vote and the right to peaceful assembly.” It also asks current residents to “defeat the policies of this governor and this state legislature.”

The advisory remains in place “until further notice,” the firm said.

DeSantis administration officials denied the complaint, with a spokesman saying, “We don’t waste our time worrying about political issues.”

NAACP President and CEO Derek Johnson warned that the actions taken by DeSantis and other Republican lawmakers were undemocratic and harmful to black Americans.

“Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to black Americans in direct conflict with the democratic ideals on which our union was founded,” Johnson said. “Democracy must know that the reason it prevails is because its defenders stand up and are ready to fight. We will not back down, and we encourage our allies to join us in the fight to save the soul of our country.

Barbara Ransby, a Chicago-based historian, author, and activist, wrote an op-ed in which desegregation laws limit the teaching of black history. True In January.

Like Johnson, Ransby described DeSantis’ actions as anti-democratic and “proto-fascist”, saying the laws were about “intimidation, silencing potential dissenting voices, prioritizing the critical thinking of young people who can take informed political action”.

“By attacking African American studies, DeSantis has taken a step further to not only fully embrace white nationalism and tyranny, but to place himself in a true ‘alternative reality.’

Other organizations, including major LGBTQ groups like Equality Florida, have issued similar travel advisories for the state.
Equality Florida’s travel advisory, published in early April, comes after “laws that hate the LGBTQ+ community, restrict reproductive health care, repeal gun safety laws, and create unregulated, unlicensed carry and racial discrimination.” The leaders said.

“The governor has weaponized state agencies to impose sanctions on businesses large and small that do not comply with his attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion,” Equality Florida added in a statement last month.

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