College Board changes syllabus for AP African American studies after pressure from Ron DeSantis
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Black Lives Matter, critical race theory, Black feminism, and queer intersectionality are no longer exam topics
The College Board on Wednesday released the official curriculum for its new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies, missing much of the content that drew critical pushback from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Stripped from the curriculum were the names of many prominent Black writers and scholars who discuss critical race theory, Black feminism and the intersection between race and queer identity.
Another significant portion removed from the course was the topic of Black Lives Matter. Taking its place is a new subject — "Black conservatism" — offered as an idea for a research project.
The AP course was announced in August, with the College Board claiming it was time to offer a class to high school students that discussed these topics. Many Black scholars, including Harvard's Henry Louis Gates Jr., praised the course — but that was before an early draft of it was leaked to conservative publications like the National Review and The Florida Standard, sparking outrage among right-wingers.
DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential contender, announced in January that he would ban the curriculum from public schools in Florida, basing his decision on the draft version of the course. State education officials also claimed that the curriculum was not historically accurate and that it would violate state laws that regulate how topics related to race are taught in public schools.
