The American Historical Association has sent a letter to members of the Florida House of Representatives and Senate opposing HB 1291/SB 1372, asserting that if passed, the bill would threaten the integrity of K–12 history education in the state.
The bills restrict preparation programs for teachers’ certification from teaching “identity politics” or “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.” The bill doesn’t define “identity politics.”
- AHA sees the bills as censorship and criticizes lawmakers for letting politics drive history education in the state.
Why it matters:
The proposed legislation, the AHA writes, “would require educators teach a history that is incomplete, tendentious, and politically driven rather than based on evidence and consistent with professional standards. . . . SB 1372 establishes a mechanism for censoring classroom teaching and learning, and hence stands in stark opposition to academic freedom and true intellectual diversity.”
- The AHA urges the Florida legislature to reject the bill: “Limiting the knowledge and intellectual horizons of Florida’s teachers in the ways proposed in this legislation would cause lasting harm to the future career prospects of young Floridians.”
What is AHA?
Founded in 1884 and incorporated by Congress in 1889 for the promotion of historical studies, the American Historical Association provides leadership for the discipline and promotes the critical role of historical thinking in public life.
- As the largest membership association of professional historians in the world (over 11,000 members), the AHA serves historians in a wide variety of professions and represents every historical era and geographical area.