Florida Bans AP Course On African American Studies

Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis offered more evidence of his orchestrated effort to muzzle Black voices by refusing to allow his state’s high schools to add an Advanced Placement course on African American Studies to their curriculum.

The one-time Trump ally said the course violates state law and “lacks educational value.”

In a letter written by the Florida Department of Education, DeSantis and the state rejected the College Board’s recommendation for the pilot course which may expand from its initial 60 schools to others in 2023-2024. The College Board is the organization that administers college readiness exams like the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)/ They also oversee advanced placement courses that permit students to earn college credits.

Florida’s letter described the Board’s new AP course as “inexplicably contrary to Florida law.” 

Florida has a law on the books called the “Woke Act.” The legislation bans the teaching of Critical Race Theory in K-12 public schools and universities. The law has been partially blocked in court, but Florida has distributed a survey to gauge gender identity and diversity.

Other Republican-led states have banned critical race theory from their school curriculum. Within hours of her swearing-in, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order outlawing CRT in public schools. Arkansas is now one of seven states banning CRT with 16 others considering a similar law.