Florida W.O.K.E. Law:
Schools must avoid curriculum that makes people "feel discomfort, guilt, anguish" because of past actions done by people of his or her race."
Studies Weekly publishes short articles on topics in social studies for young students. It is revising its material to meet the requirements of Florida law.
Current material: Addresses Rosa Parks' race and why she was required to give up her seat.
Initial proposal for approved text: Leaves out her race and why a White person had a right to her seat, i.e. the segregation laws in effect. Leaves out that she was arrested.
Updated text to be certain to meet Florida law: Leaves out any mention of race, or the law in effect, or why she was told to move, or what happened to her.
I consider the W.O.K.E. Act oddly self-defeating in its effect. If a goal of teaching American history to children is to create patriotic pride in a country making progress toward "liberty and justice for all," then it makes sense to show the problems of the past, not to hide them.
I tried to write a short history that would avoid hurting anyone's feelings and came up with this:
Someone recently complained that the Rosa Parks story will no longer be taught in Florida, an assertion I deny vehemently. In fact, here is a direct quoted from Florida’s new eighth grade history text:
Rosa Parks was a seamstress in Montgomery. She worked sewing clothes from the 1930’s until 1959. Then she became a representation of the demand for men to act like gentlemen.
Rosa Parks boarded a bus and noticed that all the seats had been taken. A young healthy man had just beaten her to the last seat.
“You are no gentleman,” said Rosa to the young man. “Have you never heard that a gentlemen should always give his seat to a lady?”
The young man scoffed at her, saying, “I paid my fare and I found this seat before you did.”
“But I am old and tired,” pleased Rosa. “I need to rest if I am to work all night long sewing clothing for orphans!”
At this, several strong men appeared in the aisle, lifted the young man out of his seat, and gave the seat to Rosa. “Oh, thank you,” said Rosa. “I see now that chivalry will never die in the Old South!”
Do a majority of people in Florida believe this is the better way to teach history?