By MichaelMH Published Jan 21, 2023
Wow, Florida, way to stay stuck in the past and reject progress. But it's not surprising that the state rejected an Advanced Placement African American studies course, because it contains critical race theory. State leaders also objected to its lessons on "Black queer studies", Black feminist thought, and "the Black Struggle in the 21st Century". I mean, heaven forbid that the course teaches about the realities of systemic racism and oppression.
The department also criticized some of the authors whose works were part of the course
because they were communists or wrote about the ideology.
But hey, let's just ignore the fact that those perspectives are important in understanding the experiences of marginalized communities.
Or their objections to the AP course's lessons on reparations. I mean, who would want to acknowledge the legacy of slavery and the systemic oppression that still exists today?
In April, Governor DeSantis signed his "stop woke act" banning "critical race theory" in public schools, and what he called the theory's "indoctrinating principles" such as the idea that "a person, by virtue of his or her race, color, national origin, or sex is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive."
Florida cites CRT, ‘Black Struggle,’ and communism in rejected African American course
But let's be real, this is just an effort to prevent schools from addressing racism and its effect on America, and from teaching Black history, and the struggles of other marginalized minorities.
State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, said "hysteria over critical race theory" was to blame for the course’s rejection, just as last year it “led to the banning of math books.” That publishers wanted to sell to schools, claiming they aimed to “indoctrinate” students with CRT.
Thompson, in a statement, noted African American history is one of many required subjects in Florida public schools.
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Will Florida “reject instruction on the history of the Holocaust or the study of women or Hispanic contributions to the United States, or is it only African American History that lacks educational value in the eyes of the current administration?” said Thompson, who is African American and a former teacher and college administrator.
The department’s decision to reject the course, made public Wednesday, generated national headlines and prompted harsh criticism from state Democratic leaders who said Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Republican administration was trying to whitewash history
.
“Ron DeSantis wants to pretend that Black history isn’t American history. Leaders like him are the reason why Florida has seen a huge surge in hate crimes and acts of racism over the last two years. Kids deserve to go to school to learn history, not hate,” tweeted U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., the first Afro-Cuban elected to Congress.