Debate escalates over Florida’s withdrawal from AP’s African-American course

TALLAHASSEE, Florida. – By stating that the African American Studies course “has no educational value,” Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration defends its abandonment of the curriculum, while black religious leaders and elected officials vow to “fight tooth and nail” against the decision.

Black legislators, religious leaders, and local elected officials are organizing events to speak out after the State Department of Education’s Office of Articulation sent a letter on Jan. 12 notifying the Senior Director of the College Board that the Advanced Placement African American Studies course will not be offered public schools in Florida. The College Board develops Advanced Placement courses.

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House Minority Leader Fentris Driskell, of Tampa, said Monday that the DeSantis administration’s decision is “the first of many attempts to whitewash history to satisfy emotionally vulnerable people.”

But during a press conference in Jacksonville, DeSantis defended the rejection, which has drawn national media attention and criticism from the Biden administration in recent days.

“We believe children should be taught facts and how to think, but we don’t believe they should be forced to have an agenda. When you try to use black history to push queer theory, you’re clearly trying to use it for political purposes,” DeSantis said.

Advanced Placement, or AP, courses are college-level classes offered to high school students.

Last week, the Department of Education released a list of “issues found within” the course and focused on five topics: “intersectionality and activism”, “black homosexual studies”, “black life movements”, “reparations movement” and “movement for making amends to blacks.” black studies and struggles in the 21st century”.

“Intersectionality is at the heart of CRT (Critical Race Theory) and ranks people based on their race, wealth, gender, and sexual orientation,” says one of the concerns listed. DeSantis frequently denounces critical racial theory based on the premise that racism is ingrained in American society, characterizing the theory as a means of indoctrinating students.

The department stated that the concern about the guidelines associated with the indemnity movement is that all “items and resources in this study are in favor of indemnification.”

“There is no critical point of view or balancing opinion in this lesson,” the department said.

The department also disagreed with several authors whose work was to be read during the course.

But the rejection drew widespread criticism from Democrats and black leaders.

“It’s not clear to see… this ban, or to be more specific, this block that DeSantis put forward. If you’re thinking about studying black Americans, that’s what he wants to block,” Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House press secretary, said during a press briefing on Friday.

Meanwhile, the NAACP said in a statement Monday that it is “outraged” that the Department of Education is “pissing off” black history and culture.”

Additionally, State Senator Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, announced that a press conference will be held at the Capitol on Wednesday with black leaders, including prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.

A coalition of black Tallahassee religious and community leaders gathered Monday at the city’s Bethel Missionary Baptist Church to announce a February 16 rally that will bring together national civil rights and religious leaders.

“Black history matters. Black history is not inferior. And the history of blacks is not without educational value,” said Rev. R.B. Holmes, pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

“We are organizing a campaign to have a real conversation, a positive conversation about the quality of teaching and learning about the history of all people, and not at the cost of erasing and eliminating black studies,” Holmes added.

Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson, who joined Holmes at the press conference, said black leaders would prefer to start a dialogue with the governor.

“We welcome the conversation and dialogue with the governor, if he goes for it. If not, we will fight tooth and nail to make sure African American history continues to be a part of American history,” said Richardson, a former member of the House of Representatives.

But DeSantis spokesman Brian Griffin said in a statement that “the course presented is a vehicle for the political agenda and leaves large ambiguous gaps that can be filled with additional ideological material that we will not allow.”

Griffin also pointed to parts of the Florida law that require black history to be taught in public schools.

“Educational materials must include the vital contributions of African Americans to the building and strengthening of American society and celebrate the inspiring stories of African Americans who have succeeded even in the most difficult of circumstances,” reads one part of the law.

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