ORLANDO, Fla. – A piece of legislation designed to push back against an effort to ban critical race theory is one step closer to passing, according to the bill’s sponsor.
On Monday, State Senator Randolph Bracy spoke about SB 1500, which passed through committee last week and will head to the floor for a full vote by lawmakers.
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“We need to inform our children what has happened, no matter how ugly our history is,” Bracy said.
The legislation would require one hour of instruction in Florida high schools on Emancipation Day and Juneteenth.
Bracy said the measure is in response to what he called a misleading narrative of critical race theory from the Republican Party.
“Critical race theory is not even taught now in high school, so they’re making an issue of something that’s not reality,” Bracy said.
In December, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the Stop W.O.K.E Act, which included legislation to ban critical race theory in Florida classrooms.
“If you look at what CRT and W.O.K.E. is doing, it’s pitting people against each other based on race, which is wrong,” DeSantis said in Wildwood earlier this month. “It’s been very unpopular wherever it’s been tried and so we want to make sure people can go to school without being scapegoated or without being targeted.”
Bracy said he’s confident SB 1500 will have enough support to pass and added that he believes teaching students about the Black experience is the key to grooming the next generation of leaders.
“We do have a history in Florida and I think it’s important we talk about it,” Bracy said.