NEWSSmackdown: Kamala Harris Rejects Ron DeSantis' Invitation to Debate Florida's New Black History Curriculum
VP Kamala Harris will not go head-to-head with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after he challenged her to discuss the state's new Black history curriculum.
“They attempt to legitimize these unnecessary debates with a proposal that most recently came in of a politically motivated roundtable,” Harris stated at the 20th Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Quadrennial Convention in Orlando, Fla. “Well, I’m here in Florida, and I will tell you there is no roundtable, no lecture, no invitation we will accept to debate an undeniable fact. There were no redeeming qualities of slavery.”
DeSantis previously asked Harris to visit the Sunshine State to talk about the state's new guidelines on African American history.
For the past few weeks, Harris has continued to criticize the new standards in place.
“We will not stop calling out and fighting back against extremist, so-called leaders who try to prevent our children from learning our true and full history,” Harris said, though she never specifically called out DeSantis by name.
Though Harris already argued against the new curriculum, DeSantis fought back.
“Time and again, D.C. politicians choose to malign our state and its residents,” DeSantis wrote in a letter. “Over the past several weeks, the Biden Administration has repeatedly disparaged our state and misinformed Americans about our education system. It’s past time to set the record straight.”
In the letter, DeSantis said he was ready to meet Harris. "In Florida we are unafraid to have an open and honest dialogue about the issues. And you clearly have no trouble ducking down to Florida on short notice,” he said, referring to her recent trip.
“So given your grave concern (which, I must assume, is sincere) about what you think our standards say, I am officially inviting you back down to Florida to discuss our African American History standards. We will be happy to host you in Tallahassee,” he added.
But the politician had no interest in hearing DeSantis' point of view. "And I will tell you, there is no roundtable, no lecture, no invitation we will accept to debate an undeniable fact: There were no redeeming qualities of slavery," she replied.
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DeSantis, 44, then continued to call out Harris, 58, while at a campaign event in New Hampshire.
“She came to Florida to attack us, and she’s trying to attack me. But she’s really attacking the people that worked hard on this,” DeSantis told reporters. “I think it’s wrong to let lies be perpetuated. It’s wrong to let false narratives stand.”
Politico reported on the letter.
