Florida Bill Pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis Would Bar Schools, Businesses From Making Anyone Feel 'Guilt' About Race

By Mary Webber First Posted: Jan 20, 2022 01:27 AM EST

A Florida bill pushed by Governor Ron DeSantis would bar public schools and private establishments from making White people feel "discomfort" or "guilt" about the country's racist past.

According to CBS News, the Florida bill has received its first approval on Tuesday. The state Senate Education Committee approved the bill that focuses on critical race theory in a 6-3 vote along party lines. However, it does not mention it explicitly.

Republicans were in favor, while Democrats opposed the Florida bill. Democrats had argued that the Florida bill is unnecessary and would lead to frivolous lawsuits, adding that it would amount to censorship in schools.

The Democratic lawmakers also asked for real-life examples of teachers or businesses telling students or employees that they are "racist because of their race."

State Senator Shevrin Jones, who is Black, said the bill is not for Blacks or any other race. Jones noted that the Florida bill was made to make Whites not feel bad about what happened years ago.

The state senator also said that at no point did anyone say that White people should be held responsible for what happened.

However, Jones noted that he would ask their White counterparts if they are enablers of what happened or "are you going to say we must talk about history?"

Florida Bill on Critical Race Theory

According to Newsweek, the bill would allow teachers to conduct discussions on topics, including sexism, slavery, racial oppression, and racial segregation in an "age-appropriate manner."

However, it also states that classroom instruction and curriculum may not be used to "indoctrinate or persuade students" to a specific view inconsistent with principles of this "subsection or state academic standards."

The Florida bill also prohibits employers from subjecting "any individual, as a condition of employment, membership, certification, licensing, credentialing or passing an examination, to training, instruction, or any other required activity" that promotes concepts related to race and racism.

It also prohibits making people feel "discomfort, guilt, anguish" or any other form of psychological distress based on their race, color, sex, or national origin.

Florida Lawmakers on Bill Banning Critical Race Theory From Schools, Workplaces

Senate sponsor Manny Diaz Jr. said the bill intends to ensure that these training that occurs are objective, not finding a person guilty of something just because of their ethnic background or the color of their skin, according to Orlando Weekly.

Diaz added that he thinks people have to go back to the premise that all are created equal and should be judged on individual merits or deeds.

Democrat Sen. Tina Polsky said that part of the bill that deals with employer training is "awful for the business community," while criticizing what she called "vague language" in the measure.

"We're telling a company if they want to teach anti-discrimination, they want to teach diversity, they want to teach unconscious bias... that they will potentially be creating the cause of action from a disgruntled employee," Polsky noted.

The senator, who is an attorney, said she does it all the time, with people filing lawsuits because they got terminated and "they're really upset." She added that they try to find reasons as "to why they were terminated."

The Florida bill also effectively seeks to cement into law a ban on critical race theory as part of Florida's curriculum standards. The State Board of Education has passed such a ban during the summer.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: State Senate Committee Approves Bill Banning Critical Race Theory - From CBS Miami