🇺🇸 Sunshine State History Debate

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EDUCATION

Sunshine State History Debate

Last week, the Florida Department of Education sent a letter to the College Board rejecting its AP (Advanced Placement) African American Studies curriculum. It argues the coursework is “contrary to Florida law,” and that it lacks educational value.

Reporting from the Left: Lawsuit threatened as nonprofit reconfigures African American studies course rejected in Florida (POLITICO)

Reporting from the Right: Florida Department of Education responds to criticism after rejecting AP African American Studies course (Fox News)

From The Flag: The ensuing outcry and controversy is being watched especially closely, considering the buzz behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a potential candidate for president in 2024. Some say the decision is hypocritical because Florida still offers AP classes covering foreign history and cultures, while others consider the curriculum divisive or even racist. Here’s more from both sides.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Race Baiting 101: This Course Is Rotten and Everyone Should Ban It

• The course is filled with violent and radical ideas that have no place being taught to minors – colleges can be held to a different standard.

• This is an experimental curriculum that has been shown to include aspects of critical race theory, which sows racial division.

• The College Board is secretive regarding the AP African American Studies curriculum, adding to the controversy.

“DeSantis’s prohibition of black AP course should be just the start” Quin Hillyer, Washington Examiner Opinion: “Rather than being a neutral, apolitical survey of the subject matter, the APAAS pushes astonishingly one-sided Marxist content that by ordinary definitions is flat-out racist. It also effectively endorses books pushing ‘the hatred of bourgeois society and the readiness to destroy it’ and justifying ‘passions of violence’ among black people while actually criticizing ‘nonviolent civil rights activists.’ The curriculum and teachers’ guide lack anything that remotely balances those views with more moderate ideas. Moreover, the entire APAAS agenda clearly is designed not just for learning but for promoting left-wing political activism. … Nobody in good conscience should be using school systems to foist any content… so antithetical to most American parents’ outlooks, and without even the slightest attempt to provide opposing viewpoints or context. This isn’t education; it’s radical ideological indoctrination of impressionable children without fully adult brain development.”

“Like DeSantis, Every Republican Lawmaker Should Block College Board’s Critical Race Theory Class" Joy Pullman, The Federalist: “The College Board is privately pitching state officials on its experimental new African-American Studies high school curriculum but has so far refused to publicly release the materials that taxpayers would end up paying College Board millions for public schools to use. Leaks of those materials have shown them to be stuffed with critical race theory, an ideology that labels some racial groups victims and others oppressors based solely on skin color and ancestry. … Every Republican officeholder with any power over education policy should go even further, and investigate K-12 schools and colleges for using public resources to promote racism and racial division, which violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Missouri’s attorney general has set up an investigation portal that other states can copy.”

One more opinion piece from the Right: AP Teacher’s Guide Proves DeSantis Right in African-American Studies Clash Stanley Kurtz, National Review

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Florida’s Education System Has Fallen Prey to DeSantis’ Political Ploy

• This intends to silence history and deny students their right to an enriching education, for Black students in particular.

• Wading into issues like this is part of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ strategy to avoid certain issues and highlight others.

• This decision is based on Florida's Individual Freedom Act, also called the Stop Woke Act, which lacks concern for students of color and denies academic rigor.

“Florida is offering an advanced lesson in anti-Blackness” Karen Attiah, Washington Post Opinion: “There’s that saying that goes, ‘White privilege is when your history is the core curriculum, and mine is an elective.’ Well, to Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), Black history isn’t even worthy of that bare minimum. … Meanwhile, AP courses in European history, American history, world history, US government and politics… remain untouched. … This day and age, it ought to be no question that African American studies deserves AP treatment. It’s crucial for all students to have access to this history and this knowledge and for scholars in the field to have an opportunity to reach younger generations. The availability of this course would also be hugely meaningful for Black students. Study after study has shown that Black students are likely to be more engaged and perform better in school when their identities and histories are affirmed — and in a way that goes beyond fetishizing Black trauma.”

“Ron DeSantis Likes His Culture Wars for a Reason” Jamelle Bouie, New York Times Opinion: “Here’s a question: What does Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida think about Medicare? Medicaid? Social Security? The Affordable Care Act? DeSantis has built his national political image on well-timed and strategically chosen battles. First it was opposition to Covid mitigation strategies and vaccine mandates. Then it was open hostility toward L.G.B. (and especially) T. Floridians and anything and anyone deemed woke. … (There) is a reason DeSantis has made these issues, and virtually nothing else, the platform from which he hopes to build national power. By leaning into high-profile battles as a culture warrior… last year, to give another example, he picked a fight with the Disney corporation — DeSantis has made himself the hero of conservative elites and the bête noire of liberals and Democrats without so much as mentioning his radical and unpopular views on social insurance and the welfare state.”

One more opinion piece from the Left: Ron DeSantis Is Banning Black Studies in Schools and It's Disgraceful Jason Nichols, Newsweek Op-ed

FLAG THIS

How Americans Feel About the Teaching of Black History

Polling conducted last February revealed a majority of Americans don’t feel as though they received enough Black history education in school.

The survey was conducted during Black History Month, with roughly 66% agreeing American history lessons fell short when taking into account the role of African Americans.

Meanwhile, 4 in 10 of those respondents say they have friends they consider racist (Quinnipiac).

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