Staff Reports
The College Board heard from JB Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, who said that he would not approve an AP course on African-American studies if the syllabus was changed to address the concerns of Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis.
A proposal to add AP African American Studies to public high schools in Florida was rejected due to concerns that its framework violated state law. According to a letter from the state's Department of Education, the course's introduction to Critical Race Theory violated the law. The College Board was also warned that it would not be allowed to offer the course if it altered the content.
In a letter to the Board, JB stated that he would not allow the College Board to alter the history of the US without his approval. He also urged the organization to maintain its reputation as a leader in academic achievement. He stated that one governor should not be able to dictate the country's history.
The Florida Department of Education criticized several sections of the course, including "Intersectionality and Activism," "Black Queer Studies," and "Black Feminist Literary Thought." It also stated that the course did not provide adequate historical accuracy and educational value.
On Tuesday, the College Board announced that it would release an updated framework for AP African-American studies on February 1. The Florida Department Of Education stated that it would consider the course if it had historical accuracy and content that is "lawful."
WRONG. Those 2.8 million students are REQUIRED BY LAW to learn African American history. They are not, however, required to learn about queer theory and other forms of one-sided indoctrination. https://t.co/uUVlauB32e
— Manny Diaz Jr. (@CommMannyDiazJr) January 25, 2023
In his letter to the Board, the governor of Illinois stated that he was worried that DeSantis was trying to force the organization to follow homophobic and racist laws.
In his letter, the governor stated that he was also worried that the course would not include a factual account of the history of African-Americans, especially regarding the contributions of black queer individuals. He additionally noted that he would closely examine the course's official content to ensure that it included all necessary history.
In his letter, the governor stated that the introduction of AP African-American studies would help students develop a deeper understanding of racial issues. He also noted that it would be the first time that students would be able to see their own personal experiences reflected in history lessons.
In his letter to the College Board, the governor of Illinois noted that if the teaching of African-American studies was not honest, it would lead to more division and old wounds being reopened.
The Florida DOE, the College Board, and the governor's office did not respond to the request for comment made by the Daily Caller News.
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