Florida: US Senator Tim Scott Slams Ron DeSantis' Slavery Stance

US Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina recently expressed his criticism towards fellow Republican presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, AP reports.

Scott disapproved of DeSantis' support for new educational standards that required middle school teachers to instruct students that enslaved people possessed skills that could benefit them personally.

In response, Senator Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, emphasized that slavery's true nature involved devastating acts such as separating families, inflicting physical harm, and even rape.

He urged everyone, especially those running for president, to recognize the profound impact and trauma caused by slavery.

Scott also suggested that people may have moments of misspeaking or regret their statements, and it is essential to seek clarification on their positions.

DeSantis has been facing criticism from various quarters, including Florida teachers, civil rights leaders, President Joe Biden's White House, and even Black Republicans, regarding these school standards.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black vice president of the US, also visited Florida to condemn the curriculum.

Ron DeSantis Fires Back

In response to Senator Tim Scott's criticism, Governor Ron DeSantis fired back on Friday, attributing the country's struggles to accepting false narratives and lies by some DC Republicans, per Washinton Post.

He asserted that he was defending Florida against what he perceived as false accusations and lies and vowed to continue speaking the truth.

This exchange marks a shift in campaign styles for DeSantis and Scott, as they have typically avoided direct critiques of each other and focused their antagonism on President Joe Biden.

It also coincides with a mid-campaign reset for DeSantis, who has made staffing cuts to manage campaign expenses.

The controversy surrounding the curriculum has garnered attention from other Black Republican figures.

Former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas, along with Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida and Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas, both Trump allies and among the few Black Republicans in Congress, have also criticized DeSantis over the issue.

Senator Tim Scott's comments regarding the educational standards in Florida were made during his and Governor Ron DeSantis' campaign in Iowa before the state Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner.

This event is set to feature 13 candidates from the GOP presidential primary field, including front-runner Donald Trump, who will address an audience of approximately 1,200 activists on Friday.

As part of the GOP's most diverse presidential field ever, Scott was asked for his opinion on the standards shortly after DeSantis defended them to reporters.

While defending the curriculum, Governor DeSantis presented the issue as a choice between siding with Kamala Harris and liberal media outlets or supporting the state of Florida.

He refuted Democrats' criticism of the wording on slavery and emphasized that the standards were not politically motivated, asserting that the team responsible did a commendable job in their creation.

Ron DeSantis Slavery Stance Gets Divided Opinion on Social Media

On X, formerly known as Twitter, a super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis responded to reporters' posts of Tim Scott's video by calling the posts "incredibly sloppy or intentionally disingenuous," Independent noted.

The super PAC reposted a video of DeSantis defending the curriculum earlier in the day, as shared by his wife, Casey DeSantis.

The group emphasized that Governor DeSantis stated, "That was in spite of slavery, not because of..." in his defense of the curriculum.

In response, podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen disagreed with DeSantis' stance, stating that the new education standards in Florida tell schools to teach that Black people "benefited" from slavery by acquiring "skills."

Cohen further criticized DeSantis for doubling down on his position and pointed to recent staff layoffs as a potential consequence of his actions.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott discuss Florida curriculum while campaigning in Iowa - From KCCI