After a loud delay, the AP has responded to the decision by Florida's Department of Education to refuse to recognize AP African American history as a legitimate course.
As reported in NPR and CNN, the statement clarifies and asserts the legitimacy and importance of African American history and calls out the politically motivated stunt undermining learning while also taking responsibility for the silence.
"Our commitment to AP African American Studies is unwavering. This will be the most rigorous, cohesive immersion that high school students have ever had in this discipline. Many more students than ever before will go on to deepen their knowledge in African American Studies programs in college….There is always debate about the content of a new AP course. That is good and healthy; these courses matter. But the dialogue surrounding AP African American Studies has moved from healthy debate to misinformation.
We are proud of this course. But we have made mistakes in the rollout that are being exploited.
We need to clear the air and set the record straight.
The statement ends, "This new AP course can be historic—what makes history are the lived experiences of millions of African Americans, and the long work of scholars who have built this field. We hope our future efforts will unmistakably and unequivocally honor their work."
And in that historical future, the actions of the reactionary conservatives banning books, policing curriculum, and targeting violating young people's and their parent's rights will also be written. But will it be taught?
The entire statement from the College Board is available here.
