Florida’s African American History Task Force has been quietly shrinking for years – WTSP.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Teaching Black history is required by Florida law, but 10 Investigates uncovered that the state task force in charge of helping schools comply with that law has been shrinking for years.
People on the task force say theyve been vetting and recommending new members to the Florida Department of Education, but the Education Commissioner hasnt appointed anyone in years.
Unless youve been living in the Magic Kingdom, youve probably heard about the protests and controversy over recent changes to how Florida schools teach Black history.
We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during his inaugural speech in January.
That same month, the governors administration blocked an Advanced Placement course on African American Studies, saying the curriculum is being used to indoctrinate students into woke ideology.
This course on Black history whats one of the lessons about? Queer theory, DeSantis said. They have stuff about intersectionality, abolishing prisons. Thats a political agenda.
They are saying, no, no, no, well have Black history. But for them to write Black history and decide Black history is a national standard that we cannot allow to happen, civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton said during a February Save Our History rally in Tallahassee.
A Florida Department of Education training PowerPoint on Library Media and Instructional Materials, dated January 2023, says, Factors to consider include Avoiding unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination.
Credit: Florida Department of Education
Last year, the governor signed the Individual Freedom Act, also known as the Stop WOKE Act, which, among other things, made changes to Floridas law requiring that students learn about Black history.
It added that "classroom instruction and curriculum may not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view."
That law also says, the education department may seek input from the Commissioner of Educations African American History Task Force on Black history standards and curriculum.
Credit: 10 Tampa Bay
After people on the African American History Task Force told 10 Investigates their membership was shrinking, we traveled to Tallahassee for a Task Force meeting on March 31.
Weve got to get some additional blood on this task force, AAHTF Vice-Chair Dr. Samuel Wright said during the meeting. We dont have time to waste.
While the meeting room at Florida A&M University looked packed, only two voting members of the task force were actually there for the meeting: Wright and Dr. Brenda Walker.
Most of the other people in the room were Department of Education employees.
Credit: 10 Tampa Bay
Our photojournalist and two investigative reporters were the only members of the public who showed up to this public meeting.
The meeting notice listed the wrong building and room number.
Wright said it was the smallest number of members theyve ever had at a meeting.
Although the groups website shows seven people on the Task Force members page, only four of them are actually voting members: Walker, Wright, Dr. Donna Austin, and Tracy Oliver.
Austin and Oliver did not attend the March 31 meeting. They have not responded to 10 Investigates questions about the shrinking task force.
Task Force membership over time
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Credit: Wayback Machine
A screenshot of the Task Force page on Oct. 26, 2020.
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Credit: Wayback Machine
A screenshot of the Task Force page on Dec. 26, 2019.
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Credit: Wayback Machine
A screenshot of the Task Force page on April 23, 2021.
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Credit: Wayback Machine
A screenshot of the Task Force page on May 28, 2022.
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Credit: Wayback Machine
A screenshot of the Task Force page on April 4, 2023.
Although Dr. Bernadette Kelley-Brown attended last months meeting, as the Task Forces principal investigator, she does not get to vote.
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and State Senator Geraldine Thompson are Emerita members. Those are legacy roles, so they can participate in the groups activities, but they cant vote.
10 Investigates used an internet archiving tool called the Wayback Machine to look at snapshots of the task forces website over the past several years.
In December 2019, the site showed there were 13 members.
Again, now there are seven and only four can vote.
There is no longer a chairperson.
Weve lost quite a few along the way, Wright said. I guess they just could no longer serve or whatever just falling off or resigning for other purposes, other reasons.
10 Investigates asked Wright how he would describe the current state of Black history education in Florida.
Well, its sort of, like, at a dead end when we look at the message were getting from the governors office versus what were getting from the commissioner of educations office, he said. Theres a disconnect because one group is saying one thing and another group is saying something else. We need to come together so we can make some things happen in the state of Florida.
Credit: 10 Tampa Bay
AAHTF Vice-Chair Dr. Samuel Wright
Wright said people on the task force have been recommending new members to the Florida Department of Education, but the education commissioner hasnt appointed anyone in years.
Manny Diaz became education commissioner in June 2022. His predecessor, Richard Corcoran, served in the role from December 2018 until April 2022.
For weeks, 10 Investigates called and emailed seven people within the Department of Education more than a dozen times about the groups dwindling membership. We sent questions, public records requests, and requests to interview Diaz.
Credit: 10 Tampa Bay
Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr.
No one got back to us, so we showed up at the Department of Educations office in Tallahassee on March 30 and asked if Diaz was there.
Security had us talk to his assistant, Karen Dennis, on the phone. Dennis told us Diaz was on his way back to Miami, but shed see if Diaz could talk to us the following week.
That didnt happen.
When we followed up, Dennis told us Diaz had no interview availability during the two weeks after that, either.
At the task force meeting on March 31, Florida Department of Education spokesperson Cassie Palelis didnt want to talk.
This is a work group meeting a task force meeting. And so, were not taking questions at this time, Palelis told 10 Investigates before heading for the exit.
Well, when are you taking questions? Because weve been emailing you and calling you with questions for weeks, investigative reporter Jenna Bourne asked. When can we expect to hear back?
Well take a look at your questions. Thank you, Palelis said shortly before leaving the building.
Palelis has not responded to our subsequent emails.
During a task force break, we tried to speak with another person weve been reaching out to for weeks: Cindy Huffman, the Florida Department of Educations Director of Family and Community Engagement. Shes also the liaison between the Department of Education and the AAHTF.
Ill need to refer you to Dr. Aune, Huffman said.
So, we approached Department of Education Vice-Chancellor Dr. Margaret Peggy Aune.
If you could provide [your questions] to the communications office Aune said.
I certainly have been, for weeks, Bourne replied.
Yes, and well be happy to follow up, Aune said.
They didnt.
During the meeting, Huffman said she would send the AAHTF a list of prospective new members nominated by the Department of Education and people currently on the task force the following week.
That didnt happen, either.
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Florida's African American History Task Force has been quietly shrinking for years - WTSP.com