Sixty school districts throughout the United States have been involved in a pilot program for an Advanced Placement class, African American Studies, designed by the College Board as a college level class for high school AP students with college credit given if the students do well in the course and on the final exam.
It is not a form of “special treatment” of a particular segment of the population as similar courses are offered in other cultural areas like Asian Studies and European History.
In spite of the success of the course, while having no problem with other cultures, in Florida, the Critical Race Theory obsessed state, this course has been found to lack
“educational value and is contrary to Florida law.”
It can only be instituted or even considered there once its content
“comes into compliance and incorporates historically accurate content.”
“Historically accurate” according to what measure established by whom?
DeSantis’s deputy press-secretary seconded this sentiment.
The Advance Placement Program of the College Board has countered explaining,
“The AP Program is committed to developing AP African American Studies and has already engaged faculty from hundreds of colleges and universities to ensure the course reflects the academic rigor of introductory college courses within the discipline.”
Forget pilot programs and revamping the class to be historically accurate, Florida has decided that the course must be Florida Accurate.
Watch out Zora Neal Hurston, you work among the African Americans in Florida in your time is obviously fiction.
The program, like other AP programs, has undergone
“ a two to six-year development process before they are implemented in the classroom.”
Last year, DeSantis signed the S.T.O.P. Woke Act saying,
“This legislation is the first of its kind in the nation to take on corporate wokeness and Critical Race Theory in schools in one act.”
While his fans cheered, he did not define what he means by “wokeness” and neither does the Act. You cannot base a law on something so generic. It would be like passing a law prohibiting the doing of bad things without definition and, therefore, would be open to interpretation and personal bias.
And, as in the WOKE act, what the state Department of Education in Florida has failed to do is explain what it means by, or supplying any examples of, the “Lack of educational value”, and, without definition or listed parameters, somehow thinks African American Studies violates state law which, in a way, it does since the law is so open-ended, anything could violate that law.
A sign that this is more performative than necessary, useful, or well though out, is DeSantis’s claim, while assuming a leadership position which so far, without other states following, makes it the height of self-aggrandizement, that he is the first of anything when, in reality, he is, so far, the only.
The implication is clear. DeSantis wants the people of this country to believe he and his state are not alone, but a leader ahead of the pack which does not seem to be gelling all that much.
First, he came for the Gays.
Now he has come for the African Americans.
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