Scott criticizes DeSantis over his support for Florida's slavery curriculum as they stump in Iowa

U_S_ Sen_ Tim Scott is criticizing fellow Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov_ Ron DeSantis for supporting standards requiring teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that “could be applied for their perso...

ANKENY, Iowa -- U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina has criticized fellow Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for supporting new standards that require teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that "could be applied for their personal benefit.”

“What slavery was really about was separating families, about mutilating humans and even raping their wives. It was just devastating,” Scott, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, told reporters on Thursday after a town hall in Ankeny. “So I would hope that every person in our country — and certainly running for president — would appreciate that.”

“People have bad days," Scott added. "Sometimes they regret what they say. And we should ask them again to clarify their positions.”

DeSantis has been facing criticism from Florida teachers, civil rights leaders and President Joe Biden's White House on the school standards. Vice President Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black vice president, Traveled to Florida last week to condemn the curriculum.

Scott’s comments came as he and DeSantis stumped in Iowa ahead of the state Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner, a gathering at which 13 candidates in the GOP presidential primary field, including front-runner Donald Trump, will be addressing an expected 1,200 activists on Friday. Scott, part of the GOP's most diverse presidential field ever, was asked for his take on the standards hours after DeSantis defended them during a gaggle with reporters as he campaigned.

“At the end of the day, you got to choose: Are you going to side with Kamala Harris and liberal media outlets or are you going to side with the state of Florida?” DeSantis told reporters, citing Democrats' criticism of the language. “I think it’s very clear that these guys did a good job on those standards. It wasn’t anything that was politically motivated.”

Responding on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to reporters' posts of Scott's video, a super PAC supporting DeSantis on Thursday night called the posts “incredibly sloppy or intentionally disingenuous," reposting video of DeSantis' defense of the curriculum earlier in the day.

___

Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C., and can be reached at //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 protesters arrested for blocking bus carrying asylum-seekers in New York City

Image
One of the protesters in Staten Island is also accused of assaulting an officer. Protesters flooded the street outside a former senior living facility in Staten Island, temporarily blocking a bus carrying asylum-seekers, after local leaders said they learned it was slated to house New York City’s latest migrant shelter. Ten people were arrested, nine of whom received summonses for disorderly conduct and were released, police said. Vadim Belyakov, 48, was charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and obstructing government administration after an officer was injured trying to arrest him, according to police. He will be arraigned in criminal court Wednesday. The police officer was treated for a knee injury. City Councilman David Carr said the city Department of Social Services told him the shelter would be opening at the former Island Shores Senior Living Facility, which brought dozens of residents to protest , and police officers quickly responded to close the street ...
Read more

SEC Approves Landmark Rule Requiring Some Companies to Report Emissions, Climate Risks

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved a rule that will require some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, after last-minute revisions that weakened the rule in the face of strong pushback from companies. The rule was one of the most anticipated in recent years from the nation’s top financial regulator, drawing more than 24,000 comments from companies, auditors, legislators and trade groups. It brings the U.S. closer to the European Union and California, which moved ahead earlier with corporate climate disclosure rules. The rule passed 3-2, with three Democratic commissioners supporting it and two Republicans opposed. Read More: Actually, Clean Tech Investment is Still Going Strong Publicly traded companies will be required to say more in their financial statements about the risks climate change poses to their operations and their own contributions to the problem. But the version approved Wednesday was weak...
Read more

40-year-old father falls to his death in front of wife and 5 children on Oregon hiking trail

Image
A hiker was killed over the weekend when he slipped and plummeted down the side of a mountain in front of his wife and five children in Oregon, officials said. A 40-year- old hiker was killed over the weekend when he slipped and plummeted down the side of a mountain in front of his wife and five children near Oregon's Multnomah Falls, officials said. The hiking trail tragedy unfolded about 2 p.m. Saturday about a half-mile from the iconic Benson Bridge, a footbridge near Oregon's tallest waterfall, the 620-foot Mulnomah Falls, authorities said. "Mom, Dad, five kids were all here enjoying a beautiful day. And unfortunately, a tragic accident happened," said John Plock, a spokesman for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. "At one point on the trail, the father slipped and fell and fell down the side of an embankment." Plock said the man, whose name has not been released, fell 100 to 150 feet down the embankment alongside the Columbia River Highway. A...
Read more