>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, A PROGRESS REPORT ON POLICE REFORM IN FLORIDA AS AMERICANS PREPARE TO MARK JUNETEENTH.

FLORIDA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES THE BAN ON CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN CLASSROOMS AND THE PUSH FOR REPARATIONS FOR THE DESCENDANTS OF THOSE KILLED IN THE OCOEE MASSACRE.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE AND WILKINE BRUTUS OF WLRN.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

MY COLLEAGUE, NANCY ALVAREZ, IS OFF THIS WEEK.

ALL RIGHT, FIRST TONIGHT, CONGRESS VOTED THIS WEEK TO MAKE JUNE 19TH A US FEDERAL HOLIDAY.

JUNETEENTH IS A CELEBRATION OF THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT COMES AS ISSUES AROUND RACE CONTINUE TO MAKE HEADLINES WITH THE SENTENCING OF DEREK CHAUVIN OVER THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD EXPECTED LATER THIS MONTH.

WE WANTED TO CHECK IN ON EFFORTS TO REFORM POLICING IN THE WAKE OF THAT CASE.

I SPOKE RECENTLY WITH ORLANDO POLICE, CHIEF ORLANDO ROLON AND I STARTED BY ASKING HIM IF HE SUPPORTS A BILL APPROVED IN THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION COVERING DEESCALATION TRAINING, LIMITING THE USE OF CHOKE HOLDS AND GIVING OFFICERS A DUTY TO INTERVENE IF THEY SEE A COLLEAGUE USING EXCESSIVE FORCE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY, FOR THOSE AGENCIES THAT DON'T HAVE IT IN PLACE, SHOULD HAVE IT IN PLACE.

BUT THE ONE PART THAT I LIKED THE MOST ABOUT THOSE CHANGES WAS THE REQUIREMENT FOR AN APPLICANT TO SHARE SPECIFIC INFORMATION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY YIELD WHETHER THEY WERE UNDER INVESTIGATION OR SUSTAINED UNDER SOME TYPE OF INVESTIGATION.

AN AGENCY LIKE OURS, WE RECEIVE ABOUT 4,500 APPLICANTS EACH YEAR, APPLICATIONS, ABOUT 24, 2,500 OF THOSE APPLICATIONS GET TO GO THROUGH THE FULL PROCESS.

AND OUT OF THAT, WE SELECT 100, 150 PEOPLE EACH YEAR, EACH YEAR.

THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE PICKING THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST THAT WE CAN FIND, BUT THE INFORMATION HAS TO BE ACCURATE ALSO.

SO I THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>>CONGRESS HAS ALSO BEEN DEBATING REFORMS AS WELL, BUT A MAJOR STICKING POINT IS QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR POLICE.

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THAT AND WHY DO WE STILL HAVE THAT KIND OF IMMUNITY IN PLACE?

>>WELL, BUT REMEMBER, WE HAVE IMMUNITY FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ELECTED OFFICIALS.

WE HAVE IMMUNITY FOR ATTORNEYS, OR WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, JUDGES AND WHAT HAVE YOU, SO IT'S NOT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HAS THESE ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM SUING AN OFFICER DIRECTLY, BUT IT DOESN'T PREVENT AN OFFICER FROM BEING CHARGED CRIMINALLY.

IF YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DEEMED TO BE...

DETERMINED TO BE CRIMINAL, WHERE THE OFFICER ACTED OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THEIR WORK, THEY CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR THAT.

IS THERE ALWAYS ROOM FOR SOME TYPE OF ADJUSTMENT?

ABSOLUTELY, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL THAT HAS PROTECTED MANY OFFICERS WHEN IT'S RIGHT TO PROTECT THEM.

>>IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD, BUT WE CONTINUE TO SEE CASES OF BLACK AMERICANS DYING IN INTERACTIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FLORIDA AND NATIONWIDE.

CAN WE REALLY SAY ENOUGH HAS BEEN DONE IN THE LAST YEAR TO MAKE REFORMS IN POLICING?

>>WELL, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE RECKLESS TO SAY THAT IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD WHERE THESE ISSUES ARE OCCURRING.

IS IT UNFORTUNATE THAT IN 2021, WE'RE STILL SEEING SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRING?

ABSOLUTELY.

THE OFFICERS HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH THE CRIMINAL PROCESS IF IN FACT THEY HAVE VIOLATED THE TRUST THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THEM TO SERVE AND PROTECT, BUT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THINGS HAVE IMPROVED.

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DEEPLY LOOK INTO THOSE QUESTIONABLE INCIDENTS AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROPERLY ACT ON THOSE, BUT WE CAN NOT PUT EVERYONE INTO THE SAME POT AND SAY THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT DARALENE AND HER COLLEAGUE, ALEXA LORENZO, AT WFTV THIS WEEK REPORTED THAT CHIEF ROLON IS ONE OF EIGHT SEMI-FINALISTS FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE POSITION IN FORT LAUDERDALE.

SO DARALENE, WE HEARD CHIEF ROLON THERE SAYING THAT HE WELCOMES THE BIPARTISAN POLICE REFORM PACKAGE AND THAT HIS AGENCY ALREADY HAS SIMILAR MEASURES IN PLACE, BUT THE FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS HAS SAID IT THINKS IT DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

HOW HAVE COMMUNITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES RECEIVED IT?

>>YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, STEVE.

THE LEGISLATION, AS FAR AS THEY CAN SEE IT, IT SETS THE STAGE FOR WHAT SHOULD BE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REFORMS WITHIN POLICING THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, A LARGE CHUNK OF POLICE AGENCIES AND SHERIFF'S AGENCIES THROUGHOUT OUR STATE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE REGARDING DEESCALATION, THE CHOKE HOLDS AND THE DUTY TO INTERVENE.

IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEM IN A PLACE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WITH GEORGE FLOYD, THEY CERTAINLY STARTED HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

THEN WHAT THIS DOES IS IT PUTS A LAW IN THE BOOKS, BUT I THINK WHAT THE BLACK CAUCUS WANTS IS FOR THIS TO GO EVEN FURTHER IN TERMS OF THE PROTECTIONS THAT OFFICERS HAVE IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH REALLY PROTECTS THEM WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THOSE USE OF FORCE CASES AND POTENTIAL CRIMINAL LIABILITIES.

>>I THINK THAT THERE IS A BIG WIN HERE THOUGH AND THAT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT CREATES UNIFORMITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WHILE A LARGE CHUNK OF OUR AGENCIES ALREADY HAD SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE, IN BREVARD COUNTY AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT AGENCY WAS THE ONLY AGENCY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT DID NOT HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTOMATICALLY CAME IN TO INVESTIGATE INCIDENTS REGARDING DEADLY USE OF FORCE WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

THIS NOW PUTS SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS THAT TAKES THEM OUT OF THAT AND MAKES IT UNIFORM HERE, AT LEAST IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

>>YEAH.

WILKINE, WHAT ABOUT POLICE FORCES WHERE YOU ARE IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND HOW THEY HAVE ADJUSTED PRACTICES SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD?

HAVE WE SEEN MUCH IN THE WAY OF TANGIBLE CHANGES?

I MEAN, I THINK MIAMI DADE ENDED CHOKE HOLDS, CORRECT?

>>YEAH.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY POLICE SIGNED A PLAN TO ALSO IMPROVE DEESCALATION METHODS, SO THERE HAS BEEN ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE TRI COUNTY AREA IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

IN BROWARD COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY ESTABLISHED A USE OF FORCE REVIEW AND BODY CAMERAS ARE REVIEWED AUTOMATICALLY AFTER ANY USE OF FORCE INCIDENCES.

IN PALM BEACH COUNTY WHERE THERE'S SEVERAL BLACK POLICE CHIEFS IN SEVERAL CITIES IN THE COUNTY, THERE IS THIS BROAD EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY POLICING, GETTING POLICE OFFICERS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL POLICE FORUMS TO GET THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN SOME OF THESE POLICING ASPECTS.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THESE ADJUSTMENTS WILL APPLY TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND YOU'RE SEEING THAT SORT OF BROAD COLLECTIVE TAKE ON THAT.

>>YEAH.

COMMUNITY POLICING IS SOMETHING WE HEAR A LOT FROM CHIEFS AND SHERIFFS AROUND THE STATE.

DARALENE, WHAT ABOUT DIVERSITY WITHIN THE RANKS?

I MEAN, YOU'VE DONE SOME REPORTING ON THIS ISSUE, RIGHT.

ARE THERE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THAT AND WHAT CHALLENGES DO FORCES FACE IN DIVERSIFICATION?

I MEAN, SHERIFF CHITWOOD IN VOLUSIA HAS TALKED TO ME BEFORE ABOUT DIFFICULTIES IN HIRING A DIVERSE CORE OF OFFICES.

>>I'LL START WITH THE CORE OF THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS THAT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU TYPICALLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THESE AGENCIES FOR 20, 25 YEARS.

NOW, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE NEED FOR INCREASED DIVERSITY.

WELL, UNLESS YOU'RE INCREASING CITY AND COUNTY BUDGETS TO ADD MORE POLICE OFFICERS, YOU'VE GOT TO WAIT FOR SOME OF THOSE LONGTIME LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO RETIRE FROM THESE AGENCIES.

BUT AS THEY DO START HIRING MORE RANK AND FILE OFFICERS, WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATORS, CHIEFS AND SHERIFFS WILL TELL YOU ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT IN AFRICAN AMERICAN OR MINORITY COMMUNITIES, BUT WHAT OUR REPORTING HAS SHOWN, STEVE, IS THAT YOU DON'T JUST HAVE A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN RANK AND FILE OFFICERS WHO ARE PATROLLING THE STREETS, YOU HAVE A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN HIGHER RANKS.

>>AND IT'S NOT JUST WITH DIFFERENT RACES AND ETHNICITIES, IT'S ALSO A LACK OF WOMEN, WHICH SOME STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IF YOU INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND THESE AGENCIES, PARTICULARLY EVEN ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL, THEN YOU COULD POTENTIALLY SEE DIFFERENT FORMS OF POLICING BECAUSE IT HAS TO START AT THE TOP.

>>YEAH.

AND DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

I WANT TO TURN TO THE ISSUE OF REPARATIONS A MOMENT.

IN THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, FLORIDA LAWMAKERS APPROVED A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHOSE ANCESTORS WERE VICTIMS OF THE OCOEE MASSACRE IN 1920.

FIRST, LET'S ALL WATCH A REPORT THAT DARALENE FILED RECENTLY FOR WFTV ON THE PASSAGE OF THE RANDOLPH BRACEY OCOEE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

>>GLADYS FRANKS BELL FEELS A SENSE OF RELIEF.

>>ONE WORD, GRATEFUL.

>>HER FATHER WAS ONLY 18 YEARS OLD WHEN HE AND HIS SIBLINGS WERE FORCED INTO THE SWAMPS AROUND LAKE APOPKA TO ESCAPE OCOEE FOR PLYMOUTH.

BELL'S GRANDFATHER KNEW THAT IF HE COULD GET HIS CHILDREN OUT, THEY WOULD BE WELCOME AND SAFE THERE.

THE TREK IS 11 MILES BY CAR, BUT IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO CRAWL, FEARING HE MIGHT BE CAUGHT BY ANGRY WHITE MOBS WHO HAD ALREADY KILLED AN UNTOLD NUMBER OF BLACK PEOPLE, LYNCHING ONE OF THEM.

>>THEY HAD TO STAY OUT OF THE SIGHT OF THE OTHER KLANSMEN, YOU KNOW?

HIDE.

>>THOSE WHITE MOBS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE KKK, BURNED EVERY PIECE OF BLACK OWNED PROPERTY AND OWNERS WERE NEVER COMPENSATED, THEIR LAND STOLEN OR SOLD FOR LITTLE OF NOTHING.

IN SOME CASES, WITH THE HELP OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

>>MONEY, I KEEP SAYING MONEY BECAUSE THAT WAS MONEY THAT THEY BURNED DOWN.

THAT COSTS.

HOMES COST, CHURCHES COST.

YEAH, MONEY.

GET UP OFF THAT MONEY.

THE LEGISLATURES OUT TO GET UP OFF THAT MONEY AND HELP.

>>THE STATE HAS REFUSED TO PAY FINANCIAL REPARATIONS FOR THAT, BUT IT WILL NOW AWARD UP TO $6,100 EACH TO DESCENDANTS AND BLACK RESIDENTS OF OCOEE LOOKING TO ATTEND COLLEGE.

UP TO 50 QUALIFYING APPLICANTS ARE ELIGIBLE EACH YEAR BASED ON NEEDS TOTALING $305,000.

>>IT IS AMAZING TO SEE THAT THERE'S SOMEONE MAKING AN EFFORT TO SAY THAT MY LIFE AND MY FUTURE MATTERS, DESPITE WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THOSE WHO DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO DO SO.

>>THE PROGRAM MIRRORS, WHAT WAS DONE IN 1994 FOR DESCENDANTS OF THE ROSEWOOD FLORIDA MASSACRE VICTIMS.

ACROSS THE US, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN THREE DOZEN DOCUMENTED RACE-BASED MASSACRES, INCLUDING ONE IN TULSA, WHICH HAPPENED 100 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK.

>>HOPEFULLY THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION, AS WELL AS US CONGRESS.

THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT REPARATIONS AND I THINK IT CAN BE DONE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE THAT WORKED WITH ME TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, AS THE SENATOR MENTIONED, THIS WAS A BIPARTISAN MOVE AND SIMILAR TO THE LEGISLATOR'S PREVIOUS ACTION IN 1994 ON THE ROSEWOOD MASSACRE, AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PIECE THERE.

WHO EXACTLY CAN BENEFIT DARALENE?

>>THIS IS FOR DESCENDANTS OF THE VICTIMS OF THE OCOEE MASSACRE.

IT'S ALSO FOR ANY CURRENT BLACK RESIDENTS HERE IN OCOEE WHO ARE LIVING IN HERE.

THEY CAN GO TO HIGH SCHOOL ANYWHERE, BUT THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY RESIDE IN THE CITY OF OCOEE.

>>WILKINE, THIS IS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR DESCENDANTS, AS DARALENE MENTIONED, BUT THE LEGISLATION DOESN'T MENTION THE WORD REPARATIONS, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THERE'S A PUSH TO TACKLE REPARATIONS AT THE FEDERAL AND LOCAL LEVEL NATIONWIDE.

I MEAN, WE SAW THIS ISSUE DEBATED ANEW ON THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE THAT DARALENE ALSO MENTIONED, BUT REPARATIONS CONTINUES TO BE A DIVISIVE ISSUE IN SOME STATES LIKE FLORIDA, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

FIRST OF ALL, GREAT REPORTING BY DARALENE.

IT'S REPARATION IN ACTION, NOT IN NAME.

AND REPARATIONS, THE WORD REPARATIONS, HAS VARIOUS DEFINITIONS, WHICH IS WHAT MAKES IT DIVISIVE BECAUSE THERE IS SO MANY DEFINITIONS OF WHAT REPARATIONS SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

THE WORD REPARATIONS BRINGS OUT MORAL, ETHICAL AND CERTAINLY POLITICAL ASPECTS WITHIN ONE MAJOR ARGUMENT.

>>YEAH.

AND CERTAINLY NOT USING THAT WORD REPARATIONS WAS SORT OF PART, I THINK, OF THE REASON THAT THAT BILL GOT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND WAS ABLE TO PASS SO UNANIMOUSLY.

DARALENE, LAST YEAR, SENATOR BRACEY ALSO CHAMPIONED THE INCLUSION OF THE OCOEE MASSACRE IN FLORIDA CLASSROOMS.

THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER'S AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY TASK FORCE ISSUED ADVICE IN MARCH TO EDUCATORS ON TEACHING THIS CHAPTER IN HISTORY.

WHAT DID IT RECOMMEND?

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS THERE?

>>THAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT WHAT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY TASKFORCE DID IN ITS WORK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT, WAS THEY SIMPLY GATHERED RESOURCES THAT COULD BE UTILIZED IN THE CLASSROOMS TO HELP TEACHERS FACILITATE CURRICULUMS REGARDING THE OCOEE MASSACRE.

THERE IS NO ACTUAL OUTLINE FOR INSTRUCTION.

ONE OF THE THEMES THAT I STARTED WORKING ON WITH OUR CENTRAL FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICTS EARLIER THIS YEAR WAS EXACTLY.

THAT BECAUSE AS I DUG INTO THAT TASKFORCE, I REALIZED THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE PROVIDING AN OUTLINE, WHICH REALLY IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE, BECAUSE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY BOGGED DOWN WITH SO MANY MANDATES.

IF YOU'RE NOW TELLING THEM THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER CURRICULUM ON A PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT'S ALREADY VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND COULD CAUSE SOME CONCERNS IN THE CLASSROOM FOR TEACHING AND SOME UNCOMFORTABLENESS, YOU'RE LEFT IN THIS KIND OF STICKY SPOT, IS IT REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN?

>>SO I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'VE GOT THE RESEARCH.

I'VE GOT THE OUTLINE SIMPLY FOR THEM", SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING WITH OUR CENTRAL FLORIDA DISTRICTS AND WE'VE BEEN MEETING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.

SOME OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK ON IMPLEMENTING THIS STARTING THIS FALL.

I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

BUT ONE THING THAT WE REALIZED DURING OUR WORK ON THIS IS THAT WE HAVE TO GET BUY-IN FROM THE TEACHERS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE TO WANT TO TEACH THIS.

THEY HAVE TO WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS AND THEY HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE IN DOING THAT, SO SOME OF THE DISTRICTS ARE ALREADY SCHEDULING SOME TRAINING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING TO HELP WITH THAT.

>>YEAH.

AND WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN FIND MANY LOCAL VOICES TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH RACE ON OUR RACE MATTERS PAGE.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR CENTRAL FLORIDA STORYTELLERS, LOCAL VOICES SERIES AT WUCF.ORG/RACEMATTERS.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION LAST WEEK VOTED TO BAN CRITICAL RACE THEORY FROM BEING TAUGHT IN FLORIDA'S CLASSROOMS.

AN AMENDMENT PASSED BY BOARD MEMBERS SAYS, "EXAMPLES OF THEORIES THAT DISTORT HISTORICAL EVENTS AND ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE STATE BOARD APPROVED STANDARDS, INCLUDE THE DENIAL OR MINIMIZATION OF THE HOLOCAUST AND THE TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY, MEANING THE THEORY THAT RACISM IS NOT MERELY THE PRODUCT OF PREJUDICE, BUT THAT RACISM IS EMBEDDED IN AMERICAN SOCIETY AND ITS LEGAL SYSTEMS IN ORDER TO UPHOLD THE SUPREMACY OF WHITE PERSONS.

INSTRUCTION MAY NOT UTILIZE MATERIAL FROM THE 1619 PROJECT AND MAY NOT DEFINE AMERICAN HISTORY AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE CREATION OF A NEW NATION, BASED LARGELY ON UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES STATED IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE."

THE ISSUE HAS AROUSED PASSIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DEBATE.

>>IT'S ABOUT RACISM.

IT'S ABOUT NOT TEACHING THE GREEDY PARTS OF OUR HISTORY.

IT'S ABOUT AVOIDING THE HARD CONVERSATION FOR THE SAKE OF WHITE FRAGILITY.

WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO CALL OUR HISTORY INACCURATE OR FAKE NEWS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH.

YOU TALK ABOUT THE INDOCTRINATION.

YOU'RE INDOCTRINATING CHILDREN WHERE THEY'RE NOT BEING TAUGHT THE ENTIRE STORY.

HOW DO YOU CALL THAT CRITICAL THINKING?

YOU CAN'T.

THE SOUL OF THIS COUNTRY IS ITS HISTORY, EVERY DEEP, DARK, AND BLOODY MOMENT OF IT.

BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY.

WE WILL NOT LET YOU ERASE OUR HISTORY BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE.

ALLOW CRITICAL RACE THEORY TO BE TAUGHT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE YOU'VE BEEN.

>>OUR LAWS SPEAK VERY, VERY CLEARLY ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT IN RELATION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, SLAVERY, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, ALL OF THAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW AND ALL OF IT IS BEING DONE.

ALL WE'RE TRYING TO SAY IS PROTECT TEACHERS AND SAY OUR JOB IS TO TEACH KIDS HOW TO THINK, NOT WHAT TO THINK.

OUR JOB IS TO TEACH THE TRUTH; FIRE IS HOT, WATER IS WET AND ROCKS ARE HARD.

I MEAN, AND WHEN WE STICK TO THE GREAT STANDARDS, WE JUST SPENT A WHOLE YEAR AND A HALF GOING THROUGH TALKING TO HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS, HUNDREDS OF EXPERTS, WORLDWIDE, NATIONWIDE AND ALL THROUGHOUT FLORIDA, AND WROTE THE ABSOLUTE BEST STANDARDS IN ELA AND MATH.

NOW, WE'RE DOING THE BEST STANDARDS FOR THE HOLOCAUST, THE BEST STANDARDS FOR CIVICS IN THE NATION.

HERALDED, NOT JUST US SAYING THAT, OTHER STATES ARE SAYING, "CAN WE GET YOUR STANDARDS SO WE CAN DUPLICATE THEM?"

SO ALL WE'RE DOING IS NOW SAYING, "JUST TEACH THOSE STANDARDS.

THOSE STANDARDS ARE EXCELLENT, THEY'RE TRUE AND WE WANT YOU TO TEACH THOSE STANDARDS."

>>THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER THERE.

WELL, TO DISCUSS THIS, I TURNED TO FEDRICK INGRAM FROM THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS UNION AND I STARTED BY ASKING HIM IF HE AGREED WITH THE STATE'S DEFINITION OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

>>I DON'T THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR NOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH IN TERMS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

IF THEY HAVE, THEN THEY ARE USING CRITICAL RACE THEORY AS A POLITICAL DIVIDE.

IT'S HARD TO DENY THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INCEPTION OF THIS COUNTRY, HOW PEOPLE CAME HERE AND THIS LAND WAS CONQUERED, IT'S HARD TO DENY THAT WHEN YOU BROUGHT PEOPLE HERE AND USE THEM AS CHATTEL, SLAVERY.

IT'S HARD TO DENY THAT WHEN THE CONSTITUTION TALKED ABOUT THREE FIFTHS OF A PERSON, AT ONE POINT.

THOSE THINGS ARE RACIALLY EMBEDDED IN WHAT WE KNOW IS THE AMERICAN IDEAL.

BUT THAT NOT WITHSTANDING, CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS NOT WHAT'S AT ISSUE HERE, THIS IS A POLITICAL PLOY.

>>WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF THE TEACHING THERE.

ONE OF THE OPENING ESSAYS IN THE 1619 PROJECTS SAYS OUR DEMOCRACY'S FOUNDING IDEALS WERE FALSE WHEN THEY WERE WRITTEN, THEY'RE REFERRING THERE TO THE ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL PASSAGE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

HOW DOES AN EDUCATOR GO ABOUT TEACHING HISTORY PRIOR TO 1776 WITHOUT RUNNING A FOUL OF FLORIDA'S RULES DO YOU THINK?

>>IS IT GOING TO CREATE SOME ISSUES?

OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO CREATE SOME ISSUES BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

THEY'RE BRINGING POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CLASSROOM AND THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HELP DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN TEACHERS EITHER WANTING TO TEACH OR NOT WANTING TO TEACH.

WE HAVE A TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT IS WIDENING EVERY SINGLE YEAR ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, INCLUDING IN FLORIDA.

SO TEACHERS HAVE TO GET A SCRIPT FROM SOMEONE AND THAT SCRIPT IS NOT FACTUAL BECAUSE WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS WHITEWASH HISTORY.

>>WELL, IF YOU LISTEN TO THE GOVERNOR OR THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER, THEY'LL SAY SIMILAR THINGS TO YOU, "WE JUST WANT TO TEACH THE FACTS.

THERE'S A TASKFORCE ON TEACHING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY."

IS IT THE ROLE OF EDUCATORS TO REFRAME THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY?

>>IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET A PART OF HISTORY.

WE HAVE TO BE FAIR AND WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT CRT, THIS IS ABOUT POLITICS.

THE 1619 PROJECT, 1776 PROJECT, CRITICAL RACE THEORY ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT AND WE CAN DEAL WITH.

WHAT WE CAN NOT TALK ABOUT IS TWO SETS OF FACTS.

WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT TWO SETS OF FACTS BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD.

THERE ARE FACTS IN OUR HISTORY THAT ARE UNDENIABLE, THAT ARE UNQUESTIONABLE, THAT ARE ACADEMICALLY DEFINABLE AND THE GOVERNOR KNOWS THAT.

TO USE PIECES OF 1619 PROJECT OR PIECES OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY TO TRY AND CREATE SOME KIND OF PROBE SO THAT PEOPLE SAY THAT SOMETHING'S GOING ON IN OUR CLASSROOMS THAT SHOULDN'T BE GOING ON IS ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL OF THIS GOVERNMENT.

>>A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE FOR SURE.

WILKINE, LET ME START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

CRITICAL RACE THEORY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES.

I MEAN, WHY IS THIS ONLY NOW A SUBJECT THAT SO MANY LEGISLATURES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE TACKLING DO YOU THINK?

>>YEAH, IT'S A BIT CONFUSING TO HAVE A CONTEXTUAL CONVERSATION.

CRITICAL RACE THEORY WAS STARTED BY SCHOLARS, DERRICK BELL, KIMBERLE CRENSHAW, TO NAME A FEW, WHO SOUGHT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE IN WHICH RACE PLAYS IN OUR SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, BUT MOST OF THE REPORTING THAT I'VE DONE SINCE THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS, A LOT OF THE ACTIVISTS, A LOT OF THE LEADERS SPOKE ABOUT SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITY.

DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN HOUSING APPRAISALS, FOR EXAMPLE.

VOTING RIGHTS RESTRICTIONS, THE LEGACY, THE IMPACT OF REDLINING THAT HAS HAD ON BLACK GENERATIONAL WEALTH.

THERE'S REGULAR CIVIC EDUCATION IN CLASSROOMS THAT HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE STRUCTURAL SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT ISN'T UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

YEAH, IT'S A BIT CONFUSING TO SEE WHY CRT IS THE NATIONAL DEBATE RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE REGULAR EDUCATION FROM K TO 12 DOES NOT INCLUDE CRT IN ITS CURRICULUM.

SO TO THAT EXTENT, I'M QUITE BAFFLED WHY CRT IS EVEN A CONVERSATION, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE IT'S ONGOING AND IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT POLITICAL TO SOME EXTENT.

BUT YEAH, NO IDEA WHY IT'S A NATIONAL DIALOGUE RIGHT NOW.

>>DARALENE, WILKINE POINTED THERE TO THE POLITICS OF THIS, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT MAYBE BLACK AND WHITE AMERICANS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY READING THE WORDS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY SCHOLARS DIFFERENTLY?

I MEAN, IT SEEMS THE SIDES IN THIS DEBATE ARE COMING AT IT FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>>I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, STEVE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ON A FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, IF YOU DON'T AGREE THAT WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE RACISM EXISTS, THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE A FAN OF INTERROGATING THE ROLE OF RACE AND RACISM IN OUR SOCIETY THAT REALLY EMERGED IN THE LEGAL ACADEMY AND SPREAD TO OTHER FIELDS OF ACADEMIA.

I THINK, LOOK, WE'RE IN A STATE IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE AFRICAN AMERICANS, BLACK PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE ROLE OF RACISM AND THE ROLE THAT IT'S PLAYED ON SO MANY FACETS OF OUR SOCIETY.

LIKE OUR OTHER PANELISTS MENTIONED, SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY REALLY BEING DISCUSSED IN SOME SCHOOLS, IT'S A MATTER OF MAKING IT UNIFORM AND NOT LOOKING AT CRITICAL RACE THEORY AS A CURRICULUM, SO TO SPEAK, BUT REALLY JUST A PRACTICE OF WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SLAVERY, TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT IT HAD ON OUR SOCIETY AND ON THE US AND NOT WHITEWASHING IT AS PUTTING UP A BUNCH OF PICTURES OR MAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT REALLY TELLING THE FULL STORY.

>>DARALENE MADE SOME GREAT POINTS HERE AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON HER, EVERY NATION HAS CERTAIN MYTHS TO UPHOLD.

WHAT I FIND VERY CONFUSING IS THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING IS OFTEN USED AS A TERM OF SAYING, "WELL, HEY, WE'RE ALREADY TEACHING MARTIN LUTHER KING."

WELL, DURING HIS TIME, HE WAS ACTUALLY QUITE RADICAL AND HE WAS CALLED THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA BY THE FBI.

MARTIN LUTHER KING HAD A SIMILAR FRAMEWORK THAT OBSERVED THE WAY IN WHICH ROLE PLAYS IN OUR SOCIAL AND LEGAL INSTITUTIONS.

I'M QUITE CONFUSED WHY CRT IS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S NOT REALLY A CONTEXTUAL CONVERSATION ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

IT'S NOT BEING TAUGHT FROM K TO 12 EDUCATION, MOST PROTESTERS DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST WERE NOT MENTIONING CRT WHEN THEY WERE DESCRIBING SOME OF THE DIRECT SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT THEY WERE LIVING UNDER.

THEY NEVER MENTIONED CRT DURING MY REPORTING AND CERTAINLY DURING SOME OF THE REPORTS THAT I'VE READ ACROSS THE STATE, THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AGAIN, DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN HOUSING APPRAISALS, REDLINING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THESE ARE DIRECT SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE DISCUSSING, NOT CRT.

>>WELL, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE AMENDMENT BANNING CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN FLORIDA CLASSROOMS AND A LINK TO THE 1619 PROJECT, PLUS MORE FROM THE INTERVIEWS YOU SAW ON TONIGHT'S BROADCAST.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE AND WILKINE BRUTUS OF WLRN.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.