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The Ron DeSantis administration announced plans to ban the teaching of the AP African American Studies course in Florida’s public schools. According to the governor, it is an educational program “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.”
The above AP African American curriculum is currently being pilot tested in 60 schools across the country. According to the Florida Department of Education, this course goes directly against the Stop Woke Act, signed last year by the governor to prevent state schools from teaching discrimination on the basis of race, color or sex.
“They’re advocating things like abolishing prisons. Now that’s a radical political position. You’re free to take that in your own life, I don’t think very many people think that would actually work, but how is that being taught as fact?,” DeSantis said in a press conference.
In turn, the man who was re-elected with almost 60% of the vote in 2020, said that the educational content of the program goes against African-American values and that its content is not “historically accurate.”
“It’s not fair to say that somehow abolishing prisons is linked to black experiences, that that’s what black people want. I think they want law and order, just like anybody else wants law and order. So that is more ideology being used under the guise of history, and we want to do history,” DeSantis added.
So what’s behind the African American curriculum?
The case divides educators across the country. According to proponents of the course, it encourages critical thinking about U.S. history, while detractors see it as ideological, inspired by leftist narratives such as critical race theory (CRT).
While the College Board has refused to release the full plan, arguing that it contains proprietary information, it recognizes that a major in African American studies can prepare individuals for only two career fields: community organizer and activist.
Although it is currently in a pilot program, the state of Florida has already announced that it rejects the course. Cassie Palelis, Secretary of Education for the Sunshine State, spoke to The Daily Wire and assured that “in its current form, the College Board’s AP African American Studies course lacks educational value and is contrary to Florida law.”
“If the course comes into compliance and incorporates historically accurate content, the Department will reopen the discussion,” she added.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]