Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Criticizes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Approach to Black History Curriculum and LGBTQ+ Education Law
Miami mayor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, Francis Suarez, has expressed his disapproval of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ handling of the state’s black history curriculum and a law that restricts LGBTQ+ education in certain K-12 classrooms. In an interview with ABC News, Mayor Suarez highlighted his concerns regarding these educational standards and laws.
One issue raised by Suarez was Florida’s new black history curriculum, which was unanimously approved by the state’s board of education last month. The curriculum directs educators to teach middle school students about the skills developed by enslaved people that could be applied for their personal benefit.
Suarez firmly stated that there are no virtues to slavery that should be taught in our school system. He emphasized that this position is not limited to Vice President Kamala Harris, referencing her recent visit to Florida to criticize the educational standards. While DeSantis has defended the curriculum and distanced himself from its creation, Suarez argued that the governor missed a leadership opportunity by not acknowledging the mistake and retracting the curriculum.
The mayor also expressed his concerns about Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, signed by DeSantis last year and subsequently expanded. The legislation restricts the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity until ninth grade and only if it is deemed appropriate for students. While Suarez supports limitations on these topics for students up to the third grade, he believes the law should not apply to high school students. He argued that the legislation hinders the education and exposure of students to important issues.
Suarez also criticized DeSantis’ confrontation with Disney following the company’s criticism of the Parental Rights in Education bill. He stated that this conflict has led DeSantis to pursue anti-business policies, negatively impacting the state’s economy.
The Miami mayor’s comments come as he pursued his own presidential campaign, which he announced shortly after former President Donald Trump faced charges of mishandling government secrets. Suarez addressed the issue, stating that he believes Trump should not have been able to possess physical copies of classified documents and instead advocated for the use of digital versions. He also pointed out that other officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence and President Joe Biden, have been found to have retained classified documents after leaving office, but they complied with returning them.
Regarding the federal indictments facing Trump, Suarez questioned whether the former president was aware of his election loss, indicating that Trump’s statements should be examined. He also expressed his view that such prosecutions are not viewed positively by Republicans and suggested that they are detrimental to the nation.
Although Mayor Suarez failed to qualify for a spot in the recent debate, he remains committed to working with the Republican Party to reclaim the White House and create a brighter future for the country.
Overall, Suarez’s criticisms reflect his concerns about Florida’s educational standards and laws related to black history curriculum and LGBTQ+ education. His statements highlight the need for a balanced approach that respects historical truth and promotes inclusive education.
