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Legislation prohibiting the teaching of Critical Race Theory or other ideas designed to make some feel uncomfortable continues moving through the state legislature. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, sponsors say they want history, not historical theories taught in the classroom. 

Examples of what can’t be taught in the classroom under the legislation include the denial or minimization of the holocaust, or that the purpose of the US Legal System is to uphold the supremacy of white people. Sponsor Bryan Avila says most everything else is fair game.

“Everything should be taught from an objective point of view.  Really, what we are trying to prevent is whatever ideology or whatever take they have in order to essentially twist the material into making someone feel a certain angst” Avila told committee members.

Several dozen spoke. Most, like Rev. Rachel Gunter Shapard, a Jacksonville mother of three, said its okay if her kids are occasionally made to fell uncomfortable.

“It is not discomfort in the classroom that I fear for my children. It is indifference” Shapard told lawmakers.

Aaron DiPetr of the American Family Policy Council was one of the few to speak in favor.

“Systems of supremacy, white guilt, and other such concepts are not facts of history. Those are ideologies.”

And Michael Moore of the Florida Education Association argued it will be one more burden on teachers.

“We have a severe teacher shortage” said Moore, “and this bill does nothing to help recruit and train high quality teachers.”

Afterward, the sponsor reiterated the idea was to keep facts in the classroom and opinions out.”

“No one in the State of Flordia should be made to feel any sort of anguish or guilt for something, quite frankly, they were not a part of that occurred in our nations history a long long time ago.”

Business can also face discrimination lawsuits under the legislation.

The legislation, which is a top priority of the Speaker governor has one more committee meeting in both the House and Senate before heading to the full Chambers.