MSNBC host accuses Ron DeSantis of 'child abuse' over black students holding anti-CRT signs: 'Extra sick'

MSNBC host Joy Reid accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) of engaging in "child abuse" last week because several students held anti-critical race theory signs during a bill-signing ceremony.

What are the details?

Last Friday, Gov. DeSantis signed into law HB7, a bill that gives Floridians "tools to stand up against discrimination and woke indoctrination." The law is also known as the Stop WOKE (Wrongs Against Our Kids and Employees) act.

During the bill-signing ceremony, DeSantis was flanked by various students holding "stop woke" and anti-CRT signs.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

In response, Reid accused DeSantis of "mis-use" of the black students, comparing it to "child abuse."

"This mis-use of Black boys is tantamount to child abuse," Reid said. "I would really like to hear the back-story on who these kids were and how they wound up at a DeSantis event. Given how anti-Black DeSantis is, using Black children this way is extra sick."

In a follow-up attack, Reid claimed the students who were used as "props" by DeSantis, whom she described as "America's most racist governor," came from a Miami-area charter school and "that they may not have known in advance why they were there."

Reid, however, did not provide evidence to corroborate her allegations.

How did DeSantis respond?

DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw confirmed that Reid's allegations are bogus.

On Saturday, Pushaw clarified that every person who stood behind DeSantis at the ceremony did so willingly. She even shared an image of the same black students whom Reid claimed were "props" seeking the pens that DeSantis used to sign the bill.

"I was working at this event and helped with the set up. My colleague talked to all the kids beforehand & told them what the issue was & what bills @GovRonDeSantis was signing. Hundreds of people attended this event; those ~50 who ended up on stage freely chose to stand on stage," Pushaw explained.

"Here are the same kids (on the left hand side) excited to get the pen from @GovRonDeSantis after he signed the bills," she followed up.

Governor DeSantis signs so-called 'Stop WOKE Act' into lawwww.youtube.com