Stephen A's Take: Florida Students give up Saturdays for Black History - The Stephen A. Smith Show

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show: Detailed Summary

Episode Title: Stephen A's Take: Florida Students Give Up Saturdays for Black History
Release Date: December 25, 2024
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

Introduction

In this episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves into a significant educational movement in Florida where students are dedicating their Saturday mornings to studying Black history. Smith provides a comprehensive analysis of the implications of this initiative, the political undercurrents influencing it, and its broader societal impact.

Florida Students Embrace Black History Education

[01:06] Stephen A. Smith:
"I noticed out of the state of Florida this weekend. From the Associated Press did y'all know there are students who are giving up their Saturday mornings to learn about black history?"

Smith begins by highlighting an initiative reported by the Associated Press, where Florida students are voluntarily sacrificing their weekend time to engage in Black history education at venues like the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach and various community centers across the state.

Key Points:

State Mandate Compliance: Florida's school districts are adhering to state mandates that require education on slavery, abolition, and the contributions of African Americans.
Curriculum Limitations: Despite these mandates, there is a prevalent concern among students and parents that the curriculum is restricted to iconic figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, with insufficient depth beyond Black History Month.

Applauding Educational Efforts

[02:15] Stephen A. Smith:
"First of all, I applaud the students for giving up their Saturday mornings. I applaud the teachers for making that time available..."

Smith commends both the students' dedication and the educators' efforts in providing additional time and resources for comprehensive Black history education. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the deep-rooted impacts of segregation and grassroots activism in shaping African American experiences.

Political Influence: Governor Ron DeSantis' Policies

[04:30] Stephen A. Smith:
"I wonder why that is. Could it be Governor Ron DeSantis? Could it be that he's the reason why faith has been lost in terms of things being taught about black history? I'd say so."

Smith transitions to a critique of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, suggesting that his administration's policies have fostered distrust in the state's education system regarding the adequacy of Black history education.

Critical Analysis:

DeSantis' Educational Stance: Smith references DeSantis' actions to restrict discussions on race, history, and discrimination within public schools and businesses.
Legislative Actions: In 2022, DeSantis signed a law aimed at curbing "wokeness" in education, which includes prohibiting teachings that suggest individuals today should feel guilt for historical actions like slavery.

[06:50] Stephen A. Smith:
"So in other words, because you're born white in this day and age... you bear no responsibility towards what your ancestors did. That's what Ron DeSantis' position was."

Smith critiques this stance, arguing that it dismisses the ongoing effects of historical injustices on African American communities and undermines the importance of historical accountability.

Demographic Shifts and Societal Implications

[08:15] Stephen A. Smith:
"We live in a predominantly white society... The numbers have dissipated. Once upon a time it was 85 to 90% white. Now the number has dipped last time I checked a few months ago to 57.4%..."

Addressing the changing demographics in the United States, Smith notes the decreasing percentage of the white population and the increasing influence of the Hispanic demographic. He suggests that these shifts may influence political priorities, such as immigration policies, which can further complicate discussions around race and history.

Importance of Comprehensive History Education

[10:00] Stephen A. Smith:
"When we try to act as if it's not something that should be taught... that's very incriminating."

Smith underscores the necessity of thorough history education in fostering an informed and equitable society. He warns against the dangers of erasing or minimizing historical truths, which can impede progress and perpetuate systemic inequalities.

[11:30] Stephen A. Smith:
"I'm simply saying we... When you try to act as if it's not something that should be taught... it's incredibly suspicious with all the problems that we got going on in this world."

By advocating for the preservation and deepening of Black history education, Smith emphasizes that understanding the past is crucial for addressing present-day challenges and ensuring that future generations are equipped to create meaningful change.

Personal Reflections and Conclusion

[12:00] Stephen A. Smith:
"I have no problem with any white person saying I have nothing to do with that... I get all of that."

In wrapping up his discussion, Smith shares personal insights on the significance of history in shaping individual character and societal values. He highlights the resilience of African Americans and the importance of recognizing personal responsibility beyond ancestral actions.

[12:30] Stephen A. Smith:
"If you don't teach people about history, they'll never know. If they never know, then they can't hold those accountable..."

Smith concludes by reiterating the vital role of education in fostering accountability, understanding, and progress, advocating for a balanced and truthful portrayal of history that honors all facets of the American experience.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

On Applauding Efforts:
- "I applaud the students for giving up their Saturday mornings. I applaud the teachers for making that time available..." — [02:15]
Critique of DeSantis:
- "Because you're born white in this day and age... you bear no responsibility towards what your ancestors did." — [06:50]
On Demographic Shifts:
- "Once upon a time it was 85 to 90% white. Now the number has dipped last time I checked a few months ago to 57.4%..." — [08:15]
Importance of Teaching History:
- "When we try to act as if it's not something that should be taught... that's very incriminating." — [10:00]
- "If you don't teach people about history, they'll never know. If they never know, then they can't hold those accountable..." — [12:30]

Conclusion

In this episode, Stephen A. Smith delivers a thought-provoking commentary on the intersection of education, politics, and societal change. By examining Florida's initiative to educate students on Black history and critiquing the political maneuvers of Governor Ron DeSantis, Smith underscores the enduring importance of honest and comprehensive historical education in shaping a just and informed society.

Listeners are encouraged to reflect on the significance of preserving history, understanding demographic shifts, and the role of politics in educational policies. Smith's insights aim to motivate audiences to value and advocate for education that acknowledges and addresses the complexities of America's past and present.

Transcript

Greg Rosenthal (0:00)

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Julie Swerbinks (0:30)

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

Nate Thompson (0:35)

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

Julie Swerbinks (0:38)

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

Nate Thompson (0:41)

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Julie Swerbinks (0:46)

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

Nate Thompson (0:50)

Julia's pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

Julie Swerbinks (0:55)

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Stephen A. Smith (1:06)

I noticed out of the state of Florida this weekend. From the Associated Press did y'all know there are students who are giving up their Saturday mornings to learn about black history? It's happening at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray beach and at other community centers across the state. School district officials across Florida told the AP that they're still following the state mandate to teach about the experience of slavery, abolition and the many contributions of African Americans to society. However, a common complaint from students and parents is that the instruction seems limited to heroic figures like Martin Luther King Jr. Rosa Parks. The curriculum rarely extends beyond Black History Month. This we all know. Now, if y'all remember, we gotta look at several things when it comes to a story like this. First of all, I applaud the students for giving up their Saturday mornings. I applaud the teachers for making that time available to students so they can learn more about black history. I mean, when we think about things, the lynchings, we think about segregation. That still shapes the landscape at how grassroots activists mobilized to make times better for all of us, particularly African Americans in this country. And just looking at this article from the Associated Press, I'm just thinking about a couple of things. It says here talk about Florida developing its own black history toolkit. Last year, more than 400 congregations have pledged to teach the lessons. The advocacy group an advocacy group stated Florida has required public schools to teach African American history for the past 30 years, in case y'all didn't know. But many families no longer trust the state's education system to adequately address the subject. I wonder why that is. Could it be Governor Ron DeSantis? Could it be that he's the reason why faith has been lost in terms of things being taught about black history? I'd say so. One could easily argue that DeSantis, who won the gubernatorial seat, his reelection bid, quite convincingly I might add, fell off when he started talking about teachings in the school system and how there were certain teachings that he wanted to eradicate. And we have to remember that we have to pay attention to that because that matter. Remember you had advocates under fire by the administration of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis at the time who had championed efforts to restrict how race, history and discrimination were talked about in the state's public school system. DeSantis, according to the article in AP, had led attacks on wokeness in education that rallied conservatives nationwide, including President elect Donald Trump. The year was 2022. The governor signed a law, quote, restricting certain race based con of schools and businesses and prohibits teaching that members of one ethnic group should feel guilty or bear responsibility for actions taken by previous generations. So in other words, because you're born white in this day and age, obviously you aren't on this earth during the time of slavery. You weren't a slave owner, you didn't commit any lynchings, you didn't hang anyone, you didn't maim anyone, you didn't rape anyone, you didn't murder anybody, you bear no responsibility towards what your ancestors did. That's what Ron DeSantis position was. My question, is this fair enough? What does that have to do with making sure that African Americans in this nation are educated and made aware of what past transgressions took place that still affect them to this very day? We live in a predominantly white society in the United States of America. The numbers have dissipated. Once upon a time it was 85 to 90% white. Now the number has dipped last time I checked a few months ago to 57.4% and dwindling by the year 2030. The US Census Bureau report says that the Hispanic populace in this country will have exceeded more than 30 plus percent, if not more. Obviously the black population is about 13 to 14%. So when we look at that and we look at how things have been politicized and we recognize the power of the Hispanic vote, one could easily surmise that at some point in time, if numbers were not curtailed, that the Hispanic population may measure up to, if not eclipse, that of the white populace in this country? You don't think that has anything to do with people being concerned about the borders? Are we all blind, deaf and dumb here? We know it does. And when you take that into consideration and you see the focus on immigration, you can connect the dots. Why am I bringing that up? Because when we talk about black history and being educated about the transgressions of white folks in America back in the day, what you want to do, if you're Ron DeSantis, is to make sure you show no correlation between what happened in the past and what happens now. My response to that would be, well, just because things aren't as conspicuous and obvious as they once were, do you summarily dismiss the notion that to some degree it could exist today? When you consider the disparity in the incarcerated? When you consider a documentary like Thirteen on Netflix by the great Ava DuVernay and was talking about how the penal system served to imprison and dare we say, enslave an abundance of people think about those kind of things. When we think about corporate America today, who holds the power? When we think about the banking system with loans and things of that nature, housing, small businesses, et cetera, all of these things come into play. You don't have to have somebody in chains and hitting them with whips and doing things of that nature in order for them to feel enslaved. Not literally, of course, but figuratively speaking. You entrap the mind, the body ultimately follows, as they say. So if you're Ron DeSantis and you made a concerted effort entering the presidential election to make this a point that you wanted to discuss so much so where we had people out there saying there were benefits to slavery, I mean, you actually have people saying this. What are folks supposed to think about what your ultimate objective was? If you don't teach people about history, they'll never know. If they never know, then they can't hold those accountable, nor can they make any correlation to those who might still be of like minded thinking at the very least. And you might be able to play a role in highlighting and dissecting and noticing where they stand. Because history teaches us all. You don't want certain groups favored, Fair enough. Then why not just let history be taught and move out the way? And why not make sure they all teach on an exceptional level instead of 12 out of like 67 different schools getting a good grade while the rest of us fall by the wayside. The fact that this is happening in the state of Florida. I believe it's a good thing. I want to applaud the teachers. I want to applaud the students who are attending these classes. I want to applaud anybody who wants to know about the dark history associated with slavery and indentured servitude. I appreciate that we can talk about it. We can have discussions about it. I have no problem with any white person saying I have nothing to do with that, even though some may beg to differ because it's your ancestors. I get all of that. By the way, black folks sold black folks into slavery. Let's not let anybody off the hook here. I'm simply saying we. When you try to act as if it's not something that should be taught, when you try to act as if you would prefer that it's not even discussed, that's very incriminating. If for no other reason, that it's incredibly suspicious with all the problems that we got going on in this world that the governor at least over a year ago had made such a concerted effort to derail, edifying and educating youngsters on a come up who happen to be black and wanted to know about their history. I'm just saying it's a good thing that this is happening because folks associated with the Florida school system is adamant that our history should never be forgotten nor should it ever be erased. It builds alligator skin, a level of intestinal fortitude. For me personally, that level of insight strengthens my resolve because when I'm able to look at my ancestors and I'm able to say they had to overcome that, what the hell am I wanting? And moaning about what I have to deal with now is nothing compared to what they have to deal with. And that, sir, is what enables me to look at individuals on the content of their character as opposed to to judging folks strictly by the color of their skin and castigating everyone collectively instead of compartmentalizing and recognizing that's not the right thing to do. Just a thought for you all to consider. Geico's motorcycle expertise gives me the coverage I need. Like 24. 7 claims, I'm on cloud nine.