- [Announcer] This is a production of WEDU PBS, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota.

Next on WEDU the debate continues in Tallahassee over critical race theory, Nazi groups hold rallies in Central Florida, there's an attempt to ban books in Polk County schools and what's next after Tom Brady retires, all coming up right now on Florida This Week.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Welcome back.

Last weekend here were two Nazi rallies in the Orlando area.

One took place near the University of Central Florida campus another on an interstate overpass where they hung a misspelled let's go Brandon banner code words for an obscenity used against president Joe Biden.

Eventually the police forced the Nazis to leave the overpass.

Near the UCF campus a Jewish student was assaulted by the hate group.

The same week hundreds of anti-Semitic flyers were distributed to homes in Miami beach, Surfside and Fort Lauderdale.

And this week just as black history month was getting underway, bomb threats were sent to at least 14 historically black colleges and universities around the U.S. including two here in Florida, Bethune-Cookman and Edward Waters universities.

The FBI now says it has identified several suspects.

No explosives were found but some of the HBCUs canceled classes and issued to stay in place order just to be careful while others switched to virtual learning.

It was a tense beginning to a month which focuses on American history and the long effort to overcome the legacy of slavery.

In Tallahassee the legislature this week continued moving toward banning critical race theory in K through 12 classes even though it's not currently taught.

The legislation would also limit companies training employees about racial sensitivity.

- Coca-Cola, it trained their employees and urged their employees to be quote unquote, less white.

- [Rob] The bill HB 7 passed the state affairs committee 16 to eight on Tuesday with all the Republicans on the committee in favor of the bill.

It has another committee stop before being heard on the full house floor.

The bill includes concepts that teachers and students or employees should not be exposed to.

They include that members of one race, color, national origin or sex are morally superior to members of another race, color, national origin or sex.

That an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological stress on account of his or her race, color, sex or national origin.

And that an individual's moral character or status as either privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by his or her race, color, sex or national origin.

The bill brought this reaction from North Florida democratic state representative, Ramon Alexander.

- Y'all gotta find another way to communicate to your base.

You gotta find another way to communicate.

- [Speaker] Representative Alexander, if you can keep it to the comment, your comments to the bill and not direct it to the motivations of the members that are on this committee in either party, please.

Thank you.

- Yes madam chair.

But I think the motivations is the reason why we're having the bill.

And so instead of addressing systemic poverty, instead of addressing all these issues that impact people's quality of life, we are using these distraction tools because you know what, if race didn't matter, if all these issues didn't matter, we wouldn't have this bill.

So what I'm trying to tell you is, is that I'm not anti-American, but I am an American and my voice matters just as much as your voice, my opinion matters just as much as your opinion, my reality matters just as much as your opinion and you can't handle the truth.

- Joining us now is Christian Ziegler.

He's a Sarasota Count Commissioner from District 2 and the vice chair of the Republican party of Florida.

His wife Bridget serves on the Sarasota county school board.

And Eric Deggans is the national TV critic for National Public Radio.

He previously served as a TV media critic for the Tampa Bay Times and has also reported and done editorial roles for 20 years at the newspaper.

He's the author of the book "Race Matters," "How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation."

Christian, let's start with you there.

I think it's pretty clear that Tallahassee's moving toward banning critical race theory in the state.

Why do you think that's important?

- Well, I think parents have drawn a line this year and parents have made it very clear that they are concerned with the education of their children.

And that comes from forcing masks, shutting down schools, but also during COVID when they were doing online schooling and they were home and schools were shut down, parents were able to see what the curriculum was and it drew a lot of concerns for parents.

I mean, I've had the concerns for a much longer time than since when COVID hit.

But parents want the right to know what their kids are being taught.

And all they're asking for is a seat at the table to be able to review materials, review textbooks, but then also not have these kind of discussions and these frankly personal opinions being imposed on these children when the parents aren't around.

Me as a dad I have three young girls, I wanna have those conversations with my kids when they're ready.

I don't wanna force those conversations when they're too young to absorb it.

So that's why I think Tallahassee's addressing this, it's something that's been discussed, it's a lot in the press, but also by parents on the streets and homes across the community and that's why they're addressing it now.

- Eric, what do you think about the ban, the possible ban on critical race theory being taught in K through 12 schools?

What do you think?

- Well, what I don't understand is that if this is about parents then why are state legislators sticking their nose and what school boards and teachers are doing across the state?

If this is about parents having a voice, our current system allows parents to have a voice, they elect school board members who then make decisions about what the curriculum is in the school districts where their children attend.

And if they have issues with that, of course they can speak to the school board members and kick those school board members out of office if they think they're not doing their job.

I don't understand how a legislator in Tallahassee knows what my kids should learn in Pinellas County.

So this explanation of course doesn't make any sense because that's not why this is happening.

This is an attempt to outlaw the teaching of systemic racism in schools.

And they're calling it critical race theory because it sounds like a scary idea, but critical race theory, that's like trying to ban astrophysics (chuckles) in high school.

Astrophysics generally isn't taught in high school and critical race theory, which is, you know, an academic theory that takes a look, first, it took a look at how legal systems were created in America then it expanded to look at how educational systems were created.

And some of those ideas have been used to look at other systems in America, but it it's a college level study.

Nobody's teaching this in high school, nobody's teaching this in elementary schools.

What they are taught trying to talk about is the accurate history of America and how it is rooted in many ways in the slave trade and the impression of black people.

And there are some people out there that have a hard time hearing those truths and so they've concocted this critical race theory idea to create some sort of Boogeyman to justify the state coming to local school districts and telling them what they can teach and what they can't teach.

And I am flabbergasted that Republicans are supporting this and I am flabbergasted that people are trying to explain it by saying that parents are asking for this because the parents don't have control over legislation that's created in Tallahassee and supported by the governor.

- Christian, let's go back to you, Eric mentioned that this would result in not being able to talk about systemic racism in society.

What do you say back to Eric.

- What Eric said is, oh go ahead sorry Eric, go ahead.

- I was saying this would, this they're trying to ban the discussion of systemic racism in society in schools, that's what I said.

- Okay, Christian.

- So Rob, here's the reality, what Eric said was actually fundamentally false.

He said these are college level courses, they're, it's not taught and sometimes you hear these people that support critical race theory say, "Hey, it's not in the schools, why are they doing this?"

"Well then why are they getting upset?"

Let me give you a real case example.

There was a video called BrainPOP, anyone can look this up, you can go my wife's Facebook page.

Two years ago this was a video that was available to people in third grade and higher, okay?

BrainPOP is overall it's a pretty good program, but then they have these tracks that kids could get to.

And one of the videos was about Mr. George Floyd and the incident that happened with him.

But throughout that video, let me tell you what happened in that video.

They talk about systemic racism, they go through and they talk about how whites are more privileged and in better position than blacks.

And then it goes through and it praises the BLM movement, the Black Lives movement, which is really a political radical movement that's been hijacked and is frankly insane in these towns.

And then it goes into praising the city of Minneapolis for quote unquote re-imagining their police force.

Let me tell you what re-imagining their police force is, they literally defunded their police force and then at the end it tells third graders that they should become political activists and tries to recruit them to become political activists.

This was in schools in Sarasota County for grades third, three and up.

Not to mention all of the training that actually occurs for staff and in Sarasota County was picked up, this guy got hired for five training sessions, after the first one all the staff went bananas over it.

And it turns out he was teaching concepts of critical theory to teachers to teach it to the students.

Well that was halted because that was found inappropriate.

So this is occurring in our schools right here in Florida, right here in Sarasota County in the Tampa Bay area.

And what Eric is saying that this is not in our school it's in college level, last time I checked the third grade's not in college level.

So that is not true and our parents, and I wanna have those conversations with my kids, I don't need someone putting their opinion or their spin on history to my kids without me being there and I wanna have those tough conversations.

- Okay.

- And I wanna.

- All right, let's hear Eric's response.

- I have no idea what this video is that you're talking about.

But in your description of it I didn't hear the words critical race theory once.

(chuckles) So I have no idea whether the ideas that were in this video were actually critical race theory ideas.

The other person you were talking about was gonna be talking to the staff.

So again, I don't really know what you're talking about.

What I can tell you is that in my book, "Race Baiter" I actually wrote about critical race theory, I actually interviewed a person who was a disciple of Derek Bell, the professor in Harvard who created the study.

So I know what critical race theory is because I've read a book about it, I've interviewed a professor who's an expert on it and I've written about it in my own book.

I would suggest to you that you don't really understand what critical race theory is and what you're talking about is the discussion of systemic racism and how it works in America.

And if that is what you wanna ban from curriculums throughout the state you should be honest about it and we should have that discussion.

We should not have about some Phantom Boogie Man that's been created by activists on the right to try to pressure governments and school districts and teachers out of talking about the way history has unfolded in America.

- All right, let me move on.

We only have a, we only and I'm sorry, Christian let me let you have the last word in the next segment.

I wanna ask you about the Polk County Public School District, they removed 16 books from its libraries last week.

The district is now evaluating whether the books violate a Florida statute which prohibits the distribution of harmful materials to minors.

The district spokesman said the books were removed after receiving a complaint from a group called County Citizens Defending Freedom.

On the removed list two books by Toni Morrison, "Beloved" and "The Bluest Eye" and "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.

And we're putting the full list up of books up on the screen right now and you can read for yourself the list of 16 books that are being reviewed right now in Polk County.

Eric, let me start with you.

There is a move around the country to go into K through 12 schools and get certain books removed from the library, what do you think about, what do you thinks going on?

- Well, again, my concern is that books are being targeted that feature gay and lesbian subjects and authors that feature authors of color that are talking about society, talking about America, talking about sexual orientation in ways that make people of certain political persuasions uncomfortable.

And if we're going to have that debate then we should have that debate.

We shouldn't again say that it is about some sort of sexual explicitness.

We should say that we're having this debate because people are uncomfortable about the political ideas that are in these books and about the people who are featured in these books.

And that, that's what bothers me the most.

I mean, you know, you look at a book like "Catch 22" which is a book that's taught throughout high schools across the country, there's plenty of violence in that book.

But it's an important piece of literature.

And it's something that if it's taught well, is an important experience, an important scholastic experience for students.

So again, I think the best thing to do is to this debate at the local school level and have it honest, have it, where we're talking about the content of these books and we're not in indulging in some sort of, you know, political ideological scare tactic.

- Christian, what do you think about reviewing these 16 books for content, especially sexual content?

- So the 16 books that you showed me, I didn't get that list before this show so I can't talk about those specifically.

I can tell you there's a book, it's called 'Gender Queer.'

You go into that book and there's illustrations, I mean it almost looks like a kid's book, but then we start looking at the illustrations and you start reading the little blurbs on each illustration, it's basically teaching whoever's reading it about masturbation, oral sex and it's very graphic photos.

To the point where some people have taken these to school board meetings where they found these books in these districts, they've started reading from it.

And they've actually been shut down at school board meetings because it too offensive or it's too explicit.

Now, all we're saying, again parents have a right to review this material and have it removed from libraries so people like my children, eight, five, two-year old girls, you can't just go in a library, pick up that book, see these images, read this graphic content.

I mean, literally it's basically a porno with like a book cover on top of it.

If you go read that book and those are in our libraries that people have access to, and I'm just saying, and this is all the parents are saying that are out there, is we want the opportunity to review the content and if we disagree we want a process in place to get these books removed.

And look if parents wanna go on Amazon and buy whatever book that they wanna buy to teach their kids, they have a right to do that, they can do that, there's a method to do that.

I just don't want my kids when they're in custody of someone else from nine till three o'clock, four o'clock, that they are not having access to this without me knowing it or without me having those conversations with them.

- Okay and this conversation's gonna go on, but let me ask you a quick question, we have a minute left.

- We're in a situation here where he's talking about some other book that is not on this list that you're talking about.

I doubt that a five year old is trying to read "Beloved."

(laughs) You know, I mean, come on, we have to talk specific.

- It's a cartoon showing.

- We have to talk specifically about what books we're looking at and why they're being banned.

And this blanket explanation that's being given, regardless of what the books are, that doesn't hold water.

And we already have procedures in place where people can talk to teachers and talk to school board members if they're concerned about the books that their children are reading.

Again this is a false conversation.

We are not having the right conversation and if that's really your goal, then what you should be doing is trying to talk to the teachers in your school district.

- Okay and Christian let me give you 20 seconds, we only ... - They're teaching your kids, if you think they're doing something wrong.

- Okay, Christian 20 seconds, you get the last word.

- Here's the issue, if I think they're doing something wrong I'll talk to them.

If they don't fix it, then I go a step up to the school board level.

If they don't fix it, then I'm going to the state reps to get a fix because I don't frankly care about the situation getting dragged out, I wanna resolve the situation.

- [Rob] Okay.

- That's how it works in our representative government.

- Two really important conversations we should have a two hour show.

Eric Deggans and Christian Ziegler, thank you very much for coming on Florida This Week.

- Thank you.

- Thank you, appreciate it Rob.

(upbeat music) - [Rob] Tom Brady the most successful quarterback in NFL history and one of the greatest players ever in professional sports, retired Tuesday after winning seven super bowls and setting numerous records in his unprecedented 22 year career.

The move leaves the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a big decision, how to replace the talented quarterback who inspired so much loyalty among teammates and fans and it came as the NFL became embroiled in new controversies over whether it discriminates against black coaches and whether team owners ever encourage coaches to deliberately lose games in order to get better choices in the draft.

John Romano is a sports columnist and reporter for the Tampa Bay Times and for several years he wrote a political column for the Times.

Hey John, welcome back.

- Hi, Rob, how are you?

- I'm good, I'm good.

So, who are the Bucks gonna pick to be their next quarterback?

Do you think they're gonna pick somebody they've already got on staff, one of the younger quarterbacks that they have?

- The only quarterback that they've got under contract is Kyle Trask who, is gonna be a second year player in 2022, has not played a down in the NFL.

Bruce Arains is gonna be 70 years old the next year.

I don't think he wants to go into what will probably be his final season with a completely inexperienced quarterback.

So yeah, I think they're gonna be pretty active either on the free agent market or looking for a quarterback in and trade.

- So do they go after Garoppolo in San Francisco?

- That seems to be the name that the odds makers in Vegas love.

It, there's some sense to it because Garoppolo is probably gonna be replaced in San Francisco, they drafted a young quarterback last year really high that they're very high on.

So he is gonna be available, he has had success, he's been a winning quarterback, he was in the same system as Brady in new England and at some point.

So, there are reasons that you want, you know, that people are putting two and two together and coming up with Garoppolo.

I'm just not sure he's a quarterback that can take you deep into the playoffs.

- All right you suggested this week that people should look again at Jameis Winston who was a quarterback in Tampa for five seasons, why would, why do you think the Bucs might be looking at Jameis?

- Well, Jameis had success here even though people do not remember his time here, real fondly.

Byron Leftwich the offensive coordinator, Clyde Christensen the quarter back coach, they both love Jameis Winston.

He has tremendous talent, his problem was always throwing too many interceptions.

He just didn't have the mindset that they were looking for, he gambled too often.

When he went to New Orleans he looked better, he spent one years in apprentice to Drew Brees.

This past year he was their starting quarterback, he had 14 touchdowns against only three interceptions when he had a knee injury that ended his season.

He is, he would be available as a free agent at a much lower price than some of the other quarterbacks that are being talked about.

The Bucs wouldn't have to give up draft choices to get him, he knows the offense.

To me there's just a lot of reasons that you may wanna consider this as a possibility.

- Let's talk about the Flores controversy.

He was a quarterback in Miami, he had two winning seasons there, the Dolphins fired him this year and now he says that there's racism in the system, that this rule that person of color be interviewed for a coaching job is just a show.

And he made this very interesting allegation that he was offered $100,000 to lose a game so that the Dolphins would have a better draft position or draft choice.

Talk about that, this is earth shaking, isn't it?

- It's a bombshell and I'm surprised that the NFL, their first reaction to it was almost as if to say, Oh, we don't believe any of that and to just ignore it.

I think they've since realized that this is a huge problem, a huge issue.

First of all the racism issue, some of the things that Flores is a alleging.

You could and say, well, you know, white coaches get fired all the time and you know, why does that have to be racism?

Well, the reason it is an issue is because the NFL has such a bad track record in terms of minority hiring.

So anytime a black coach gets a job interview that looks like it's just a token interview to sort of satisfy the NFL's rules, it's easy to believe that that's what's going on there because they have such a bad track record.

In terms of the, basically the bounty, I guess you would call it, I don't know what, you know, you would call it.

The Miami owner is alleged to have offered him $100,000 every game he lost in the second half of that season so they could possibly get up to the first draft pick, that is a stunning accusation.

The NFL had better look into this very thoroughly because frankly it ruins the integrity of the game.

If you wanna look at gambling kind of scandals in sports, this is far worse than anything that Pete Rose or anybody else did, the idea that an owner would intentionally lose games.

- And since the allegation was made by Flores, the owner Ross in Miami said, no, this isn't true.

And similar allegations have come outta Cleveland too.

So, I'm wondering with the expansion of betting in sports, I mean, this would, if this were true, somebody with access to that kind of information could make a good bet, make some money off a bet knowing how the game's gonna turn out.

- Absolutely.

I mean it's the kind of thing that would call into question everything you watch on a Sunday afternoon.

I mean there can be no question whatsoever that teams are trying their hardest every single week or else you're gonna lose the fans who aren't there for gambling purposes, you're gonna lose the fans who just want to believe that, you know, their team is trying their hardest.

I mean it has even come up in Tampa Bay, there were suggestions that the year before the Bucks drafted Jameis Winston that the Bucs lost their final game intentionally against New Orleans to get that number one pick.

That that's not quite as bad because it's not a situation with an owner paying a coach to do that and it's only a single game at the end of a, you know, whatever that was a two in 11 season, they were two in 13 at that time.

But yeah, the idea of an owner intent, you know, paying a coach to intentionally lose game after game is about as big a bombshell as you could have in sports if it turns out to be true.

Yeah, it looks like the NFL is gonna have a lot of work to do to regain the trust of the fans if any of this is true.

John, great to see you.

- You too, Rob.

(upbeat music) - Thanks for joining us.

You can have your friends watch this program by going to wedu.org/ftw or on the PBS app for your phone.

Please subscribe to our podcast on our website or wherever you download your podcast.

This Tuesday night here on PBS will air the documentary, "The whole world in Our Hands" about singer Marian Anderson who in 1939 was blocked from singing at Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin.

And because of the public outcry, the concert was moved to the Lincoln Memorial, where 75,000 people saw her.

The episode of American experience was largely based on a book by USF St. Petersburg historian, Ray Arsenault, a frequent panelist on Florida This Week.

Here's Marian Anderson from 1939.

Have a good week.

♪ My country, 'tis of thee ♪ ♪ Sweet land of liberty ♪ ♪ Of thee we sing ♪ ♪ Land where the fathers died ♪ ♪ Land of the pilgrims pride ♪ ♪ From ev'ry mountain side ♪ ♪ Let freedom ring ♪ (upbeat music) - [Announcer] Florida This Week is a production of WEDU who is solely responsible for it's content.

(upbeat music)