Florida's anti-CRT bill to shield people from feeling 'discomfort' over historic actions by their race is approved by the Senate education committee

 Florida   Governor Ron DeSantis' newest anti-woke legislation would bar schools and private businesses from making students or employee...

 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' newest anti-woke legislation would bar schools and private businesses from making students or employees feel 'guilt' or 'any form of psychological stress' because of their national origin, sex or race.

Specifically, the bill would outlaw teachings that assert certain individuals are 'inherently racist [or] sexist] - or 'morally superior' - or that characterize individuals' status as 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their race, sex or national origin. 

'No individual is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, solely by the virtue of his or her race or sex. No race is inherently superior to another race,' said Republican Sen. Manny Diaz, the bill's sponsor.

It is not about ignoring the 'dark' parts of American history, but rather ensuring that people are not blamed for sins of the past, Diaz said.

'Senator Diaz's bill makes clear that no Floridian—student, worker, or anyone else—should be made to feel inferior on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin,' said DeSantis' press secretary, Christina Pushaw Newsweek. 'These immutable characteristics have no bearing on an individual's character. It is frankly disturbing that anyone would find these ideas controversial in the year 2022.'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured) is pushing a bill that would bar schools and private businesses from making their students or employees feel 'guilt' due to their race

'No individual is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, solely by the virtue of his or her race or sex. No race is inherently superior to another race,' said Republican Sen. Manny Diaz (pictured), the bill's sponsor

DeSantis held a news conference in December in which he called critical race theory 'state-sanctions racism' and 'cr**,' and said he would seek legislation that would allow parents to sue schools and employees to sue employers if they were subject to its teachings. 

Critical race theory was developed during the 1970s and 1980s and centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society.  

Conservatives typically have rejected it, saying it is a world view derived from Marxism that divides society by defining people as oppressors and oppressed based on their race. 

The Senate Education Committee approved the bill, titled 'Individual Freedom.' It doesn't mention critical race theory directly, although it is mentioned in the bill's analysis that was given to senators. The committee split along party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. 

But critics, like state Senator Shevrin Jones, said the bill was 'directed to make whites not feel bad about what happened years ago,' and that critical race theory is not taught in Florida schools to begin with.

The Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union denounced the legislation as 'a blatant attempt to suppress speech DeSantis and certain legislators do not like.' 

'This was directed to make whites not feel bad about what happened years ago,' said state Senator Shevrin Jones, pictured, of the legislation

'Students and employees deserve to have a free and open exchange about our history and its impact on our communities,' the ACLU said in a statement. 

'Legislators should not interfere with a student or employee’s right to receive an inclusive education just because certain aspects of our history make some people uncomfortable.'  

Democrats argued the bill isn’t needed, would lead to frivolous lawsuits and said it would amount to censorship in schools.  

'We know for a fact what this is. This is Governor DeSantis' move to try to stop the teaching of true American black history. Our history is a part of American history, and also my white counterparts are a part of that very history,' said Jones, who is the only Black member of the state's Senate Education Committee that approved the bill. 

'At no point did anyone say white people should be held responsible for what happened, but what I would ask my white counterparts is, are you an enabler of what happened or are you going to say we must talk about history?' 

The Florida Board of Education has already banned CRT in its schools, along with nine other states. 

'Governor DeSantis and his administration know full well that CRT isn't taught in our K-12 schools,' Jones said in an interview with CNN. 

'Instead of running on forward-thinking ideas and the kitchen table issues that Floridians need right now, the governor is pushing a national agenda currently within the state of Florida.' 

Specifically, the bill would outlaw teachings that assert certain individuals are 'inherently racist [or] sexist] - or 'morally superior' - or that characterize individuals' status as 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their race, sex or national origin

The bill reads in part, 'An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, does not bear responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex. An individual should not be made to feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race.' 

The bill also includes provisions for employees to protect themselves against 'corporate wokeness,' or training in critical race theory. It would give employees a private cause of action against discrimination in the workplace. 

The anti-CRT bill would 'prohibit classroom instruction and curricula from being used to indoctrinate or persuade students.'

Some Twitter users took to the platform to mock the bill

Ben Crump, the famed civil rights attorney who has represented the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, took to Twitter to slam the bill. 

'WOW! The Individual Freedom bill would prohibit public schools & private businesses from making white people feel "discomfort" about discrimination at school or during job training. FL Gov. Ron DeSantis' harmful policies are unacceptable!' he wrote on Thursday.

Ben Crump, the famed civil rights attorney who has represented the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, took to Twitter to slam the bill

Asked for comment, Pushaw reiterated DeSantis' reference at a news conference last month to the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. 

He said at the time, 'You think about what MLK stood for, he said he didn’t want people judged on the color of their skin but on the content of their character. You listen to some of these people nowadays, they don’t talk about that.’ 

Last month, DeSantis unveiled the separate Stop WOKE Act, which would allow parents to file lawsuits against school districts accused of teaching critical race theory, where attorney fees will be recovered 'when they prevail,' the governor said in a press conference.