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TALLAHASSEE, FL. – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom have both expressed their disapproval of recent moves by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to pressure the College Board into changing its AP African American studies course to fit his state’s “racist and homophobic laws.”
In response to reports that Governor DeSantis was attempting to rewrite the College Board’s course, Pritzker wrote a letter obtained by NBC News calling for the college board not to bow to political pressure, arguing that students deserve an honest and accurate version of history.
He also stressed that it is vital for students “to learn the true, if sometimes unpleasant, history of our nation so we do not repeat its mistakes.”
Governor Newsom appeared exasperated with Republicans over their handling of mass shootings in California, suggesting they “don’t believe in public safety” because they have not taken action after mass shootings to prevent more from occurring. He also criticized politicians for banning Latinx words but not taking steps towards banning assault rifles or creating better AP courses.
The Florida Education Department issued a letter earlier this month pointing out six areas of concern with the AP African American studies course. These included works by Kimberlé W. Crenshaw; Gloria Jean Watkins, known by her pseudonym Bell Hooks; Angela Davis; and other Black authors.
However, at a news conference on Monday, DeSantis and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr argued that the course was being used as a Trojan horse for “indoctrinating” students with left-wing ideology under the guise of teaching about the Black experience and African American history (which is mandated in the state). When asked about this at a press conference on Monday, DeSantis said,
We want education, not indoctrination.”
In response to these criticisms, The College Board announced Tuesday that it would release a revised framework for its AP African American studies program, which has been developing since March. The Florida Education Department welcomed this news despite not having seen any revisions yet.
The situation highlights how complex topics such as race relations can be challenging to approach effectively within educational frameworks while upholding fundamental rights and honoring true historical accounts without bias or prejudice. Given these deeply divided opinions on how best to handle such sensitive issues within educational curriculums, it remains unclear what changes will be made or how lawmakers will go forward.
