The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
AD
The Epoch Times
Support Us
SHARE
USEducationCritical Race Theory

DeSantis Faces Heated Backlash Over Rejection of AP African American Studies

'If it’s not taught then someone needs to be held accountable," Florida lawmaker says.

Copy
Facebook
X
Truth
Gettr
LinkedIn
Telegram
Email
Save
DeSantis Faces Heated Backlash Over Rejection of AP African American Studies
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the media in Miami, in April 2022. Courtesy, The Florida Governor's Office
Patricia Tolson
By Patricia Tolson
1/27/2023Updated: 1/27/2023
0:00

In the aftermath of rejecting a proposed pilot program of African American Studies, Florida’s governor and Department of Education are facing heated backlash from members of the black community.

On Jan. 25, advocates of the proposed “Advanced Placement Program®“ (AP) African American Studies—rejected by the Florida Department of Education (DOE) because it violates Florida laws—gathered inside the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee. There were chants and prayers, and some stood with pre-printed signs saying, ”Stop the Black Attack“ and ”Black history is American History.” They accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of trying to undermine the rights of Florida’s students and parents.

The Backlash

Florida Capitol Building in Tallahassee. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times)
Florida Capitol Building in Tallahassee. Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times

Among the supporters of the African American Studies course at the Florida State Capitol building were members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus.

House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Hillsborough County accused DeSantis of “undermining the rights of parents and students to make their own decisions.”

“Black history is American history,” he asserted,“ and ”the truth is the truth.”

State Sen. Geraldine Thompson (D-Orange County) said, “It’s time out for hypocrisy!”

“We are told by Ron DeSantis that this time of history has no educational value,“ Thompson said, insisting that ”if it’s not taught then someone needs to be held accountable.”

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump was also there.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference with the family of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., on Jan. 23, 2023. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference with the family of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., on Jan. 23, 2023. Gerald Herbert/AP Photo

Crump—who came to prominence for representing the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery—warned of legal action on the behalf of three black Florida students, also in attendance, if the course is not implemented.

“We’re here to give notice to Governor DeSantis that if he does not negotiate with the College Board to allow AP African American studies to be taught in the classrooms across the state of Florida, that these three young people will be the lead plaintiffs in a historic lawsuit,” he said.

The AP African American History Course

As previously reported by The Epoch Times, the Florida DOE formally rejected the proposal to include the AP African American History course in the curriculum of any public high school on Jan. 12, because its content conflicted with the state’s guidelines.
“Please allow this letter to serve as confirmation that the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) does not approve the inclusion of the Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course in the Florida Course Code Directory and Instructional Personnel Assignments (adopted in State Board of Education Rule 6A-l.09441, Florida Administrative Code),” reads the single-page Jan. 12 letter (pdf) addressed to the College Board Florida Partnership Senior Director from Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr., which was obtained by The Epoch Times.

“As presented, the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value,” Diaz said further in his letter, adding that “should College Board be willing to come back to the table with lawful, historically-accurate content, FDOE will always be willing to reopen the discussion.”

While not widely available, the original syllabus for AP African American Studies, Course Framework and Exam Overview (pdf) was obtained by The Epoch Times.

In describing the course, the College Board says the pilot program is “an interdisciplinary course that examines the diversity of African American experiences through direct encounters with authentic and varied sources,” and “the course focuses on four thematic units that move across the instructional year chronologically, providing students opportunities to examine key topics that extend from the medieval kingdoms of West Africa to the ongoing challenges and achievements of the contemporary moment.”

Under AP Course Development, it says “Individual teachers are responsible for designing their own curriculum for AP courses and selecting appropriate college-level readings, assignments, and resources. This publication presents the content and skills that are the focus of the corresponding college course and that appear on the AP Exam.”

American History vs Woke Indoctrination

On Jan. 20, Florida Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. posted a list of concerns the DOE found within the course:
  1. Topic 4.15 Intersectionality and Activism - “a foundation of critical race theory” (banned by Florida by law), which “ranks people based on their wealth, gender, and sexual orientation.”
  2. Topic 4.19 Black Queer Studies - Included reading is Roderick Ferguson who encourages the development of practices “related to race, class, gender, and sexuality.”
  3. Topic 4.29 Movements for Black Lives Matter - BLM advocates the elimination of prisons and jails and pushes the idea that there is a “war on Black trans, queer, gender non-conforming, and intersex people.”
  4. Topic 4.16 Black Feminist Literary Thought - Included reading is Bell Hooks, who advocates intersectionality and states “I began to use the phrase in my work ‘white supremacist capitalist patriarchy’ because I wanted to have some language that would actually remind us continually of the interlocking systems of domination that define our reality.”
  5. Topic 4.30 The Reparations Movement - “All points and resources advocate for reparations. There is no critical perspective or balancing opinion in this lesson.”
  6. Topic 4.31 Black Study and Black Struggle in the 21st Century - Included reading is Robin Kelly, who advocates that “activism rather than the university system is the catalyst for social transformation.”
“Despite the lies from the Biden White House, Florida rejected an AP course filled with Critical Race Theory and other obvious violations of Florida law,” Diaz said in his post. “We proudly require the teaching of African American history. We do not accept woke indoctrination masquerading as education.”
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. provides comments during the January 18, 2023 meeting of the Florida Board of Education. (Screenshot/The Florida Channel)
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. provides comments during the January 18, 2023 meeting of the Florida Board of Education. Screenshot/The Florida Channel
Florida Statute 1003.42 requires a number of topics to be part of the curriculum in middle schools and for high school graduation. Among them, the history and content of the Declaration of Independence, Flag education, United States history, the history of the Holocaust, and the history of African Americans, “including the history of African peoples before the political conflicts that led to the development of slavery, the passage to America, the enslavement experience, abolition, and the contributions of African Americans to society.”
“However,” the Florida DOE clarifies, “classroom instruction and curriculum may not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view inconsistent with the principles enumerated in subsection (3) or the state academic standards.”
“As we’ve said all along, if College Board decides to revise its course to comply with Florida law, we will come back to the table,” Diaz said on Twitter on Jan. 20.
“These are your concerns,” Rep. Anna Eskamani said on Jan. 21 with an added “LOL!?”
“Like it’s a bad thing for students who CHOOSE to take this class learn about black history and black struggle and get college credit for it too?? Tbh you should take this class. Maybe if you did you would realize how absurd this graphic is,” Eskamani added.

The Negotiations

Despite allegations by Crump that DeSantis is unwilling to “negotiate with the College Board,” a Jan. 24 media advisory obtained by The Epoch Times revealed that the College Board already has plans to “release the official framework” for the AP African American Studies course on Feb. 1, “the first day of Black History Month.”

“The framework, under development since March 2022, replaces the preliminary pilot course framework under discussion to date,” the advisory said, adding that “before a new AP course is made broadly available, it is piloted in a small number of high schools to gather feedback from high schools and colleges. The official course framework incorporates this feedback and defines what students will encounter on the AP Exam for college credit and placement.”

It was a message favorably received by Diaz.

“We are glad the College Board has recognized that the originally submitted course curriculum is problematic, and we are encouraged to see the College Board express a willingness to amend,” Diaz said in response to the Board’s concession. “AP courses are standardized nationwide, and as a result of Florida’s strong stance against identity politics and indoctrination, students across the country will consequentially have access to an historically accurate, unbiased course.

“As Governor DeSantis said, African American History is American History, and we will not allow any organization to use an academic course as a gateway for indoctrination and a political agenda,” Diaz concluded. “We look forward to reviewing the College Board’s changes and expect the removal of content on Critical Race Theory, Black Queer Studies, Intersectionality, and other topics that violate our laws.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Diaz, Crump, Thompson, Driskell, Eskamani, and the Florida Legislative Black Caucus.

Patricia Tolson
Patricia Tolson
Reporter
Patricia Tolson is an award-winning Epoch Times reporter who covers human interest stories, election policies, education, school boards, and parental rights. Ms. Tolson has 20 years of experience in media and has worked for outlets including Yahoo!, U.S. News, and The Tampa Free Press. Send her your story ideas: [email protected]
twitter
Author’s Selected Articles

Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Linked to Lung Infection Risks During Surgery: Study

Aug 08, 2024
Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Linked to Lung Infection Risks During Surgery: Study

American Preteen Suicide Rates Increased More Than 8 Percent Annually Since 2008: Study

Aug 03, 2024
American Preteen Suicide Rates Increased More Than 8 Percent Annually Since 2008: Study

More Than 300 Suspected Heat-Related Deaths in Arizona County as Temperatures Soar

Jul 19, 2024
More Than 300 Suspected Heat-Related Deaths in Arizona County as Temperatures Soar

2 Hospitalized After Shark Attacks Disrupt Fourth of July in Texas

Jul 05, 2024
2 Hospitalized After Shark Attacks Disrupt Fourth of July in Texas
Related Topics
Cultural Marxism
Black History Month
African American Studies
Save
The Epoch Times
Copyright © 2000 - 2025 The Epoch Times Association Inc. All Rights Reserved.