Summary of the Senate and Judiciary Meetings in Tallahassee, Florida, Feb. 5th and 6th, 2024:
A group of men filed a claims bill against the State of Florida for justice regarding the abuse suffered by young boys at the Florida Industrial School for Boys, later renamed The Florida School for Boys. The school operated as a segregated institution until 1968 and was closed in 2011 due to corruption. Testimonies before the Florida Senate and Judiciary Committees recounted the systemic abuse and injustice endured by the boys.
Before the Senate Committee:
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The President of Black Boys at Dozier Reform School spoke of unimaginable pain and brutal beatings endured at the school, resulting in physical and psychological trauma.
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Captain Middleton, an Army Ranger, recounted his experiences of abuse, including beatings for minor infractions such as eating berries off a bush when hungry. He challenged the committee with the question, "If it were your child, what would you do?"
Before the Judiciary Committee:
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President Charlie Fudge of the White House Boys detailed the abuse he and his brothers suffered in the 1960s and their efforts to protect other children while incarcerated.
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Captain Middleton reiterated the long struggle for justice and highlighted the unjust incarceration of children for minor offenses, particularly affecting Black individuals who were stripped of their rights.
The testimonies underscored the systematic abuse and racial injustices perpetuated at the Florida School for Boys, prompting calls for accountability and justice from the state.
RICHARD HUNTLY MEMOIRS
