The College Board revised. Its framework course for an Advanced. Placement African American Studies course. Which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration said had a left-wing bias.
College boards and many academic experts.
Advised the framework not to succumb to political pressure. And revisions were planned long in advance. But the changes announced Wednesday to kick off Black History Month. Make concessions that address conservatives’ concerns.
In the revised syllabus, the College Board, a nonprofit that oversees. AP programs nationwide, removed the names of several black. Writers identified as problematic by Florida officials.
State officials announced last month that they rejected the course. Because of six areas of concern — “Black Queer Studies,” “Intersectionality.” “The Movement for Black Lives Matter,” “Black Feminist Literary Thought.” “The Reparations Movement” and “Black in the 21st Century.” Struggle” — and works by Kimberley W. Crenshaw, Bell Hooks. Angela Davis, and other black writers.
In the Revised Syllabus, the College Board has revised the interdisciplinary sections.
And gone is a section about the movement for black lives.
Instead, in a section for proposed. Research project topics—which includes the caveat that they are. “Not a required part of the course structure adopted by the state. “—There are suggestions for reparations, the Black Lives Matter movement. And a new addition, Black Conservatism.
David Blight, professor of history and African American studies at Yale University. Detailed the content of the revised curriculum to todaystrend News. Blight was among many educators to whom the College Board sent revised curricula.
“I am now disappointed to learn that a large part of the end of this curriculum. Has been removed from the previous version,” Blight said.
“I support the course as a creation of academic freedom,” he added. “It took a lot of people to build this half-century. Tradition of African American studies and students in every state. … No legislature, governor or school board has the right to overturn it and stand in the way.”
The New York Times first reported the revised structure.
Other changes in sections that have drawn the attention of Florida. Officials throughout the revised curriculum include:
Besides to the section on the Movement for Black Lives. A section on “Black Struggles in the 21st Century” has been omitted. Central suggested reading for that section — the work of author Robin Dizzy. Kelly — does not appear at all in the updated version.
Previous editions included a weekly instructional focus on “The Black Feminist Movement. Feminism, and Intersectionality.” In the revised version, intersectionality is mentioned. Only in sample project topics—a list that the Framework. Says is for “illustrative purposes only.”
, the previous version included a dedicated topic section. About the reparations movement, but the revised. Version only mentions the “reparations debate” as a possible sample project topic.
The revised version also removes all references to Ta-Nehisi Coates.
And his book “The Case for Reparations.” Earlier editions included this and other works by Coates as “considered reading”.
Previous editions included a topic titled “Black Queer Studies. “; The updated version does not include the word “queer” at all. It features a topic titled “20th-Century Black Women. And Movements” that includes language that “many black lesbians. In particular, did not see or feel a place for them in the civil rights movement.” The revised curriculum in this section suggests reading Toni Morrison. Whereas the previous editions include Cathy Cohen, Roderick Ferguson. And E.
Several authors were suggested, including Patrick Johnson.
The revised section on “Black Feminist Literary. Thought” retains much of the subject guidance on the various women’s movements. As in the original edition, but it removes all authors of objections to Florida officials. And shifts the focus of the unit away from modern activists.
Also from the Revised Course Framework. Florida officials cited specific authors in the first edition. Including Crenshaw and Davis.
DeSantis spokesman Brian Griffin. Said in a statement that the state Department of Education. Is reviewing the new course structure “for revisions and compliance with Florida law.”
DeSantis’ administration announced last month that the new.
AP course would not be taught in Florida high schools. The Department of Education claimed the material was not accurate. And that the state stopped W.O.K.E. violated law, a law DeSantis signed last year. That curtails conversations about race in schools.
The College Board announced that it would release a new. Updated framework for the course, stating. That revised material had been under development since March. The timing of the College Board’s announcement. And response raised questions about whether it bowed to. The pressure created by the DeSantis decision. The ordeal sparked an outcry among academics and Democrats. Many of whom urged the agency not to appease DeSantis.
The College Board, a nonprofit organization, maintains.
That the revisions are based on input from academics and experts. Including 300 professors of African American studies across the United States.
“No state or district government has seen the framework. That has been published, much less responded to it. This course was developed with input from experts. And long-standing AP policies and practices. The College Board said in a statement Wednesday. . Announcement of Revised Syllabus.
The statement besides acknowledged an “reduction in course breadth.”
It also said the new framework was different in that, unlike the previous version. It required only “primary sources,” such as “original historical, literary and artistic works.” Some of the essential texts left out of the updated. Edition can be described as “secondary sources”. Which feature more commentary and analysis.
In Interviews before the revised curriculum was released. Many academic experts responsible for creating the framework. Stuck to the College Board’s explanation. That the changes had been underway long before Florida’s criticism.
Some, but, now suggest the changes may be the only way.
students in Florida can continue the curriculum.
“Do we want a world with African American studies or a world without it?” asked a member of the development committee for the course structure. Teresa Reed, dean of the School of Music at the University of Louisville.
“we want a world with that,” Reid said. Though he continued to deny that the amendments were related to Florida’s criticism.
