Florida's College Board has reversed its plans to launch a new African American history course, following backlash and opposition from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The proposed course raised concerns for its inclusion of extremist ideology on LGBT and racial issues.
The board's 2023-24 AP African American Studies standards, which were released this week, have since dropped any mention of "queer" black Americans, and material focused on far-left critical race theory and "black feminism."
State Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz Jr. spoke out against the course last month, stating that it was “filled with Critical Race Theory and other obvious violations of Florida law." The Florida state government had previously moved to bar the course from state schools.
Florida has taken a strong stance against progressive ideology in education, including a ban on teachers discussing sexuality and transgenderism with young students. The move sparked significant protests from progressive activists across the state.
David Coleman, head of the College Board, told the New York Times that the revisions were purely pedagogical, and not politically motivated. “At the College Board, we can’t look to statements of political leaders,” he said, adding that they were a result of “the input of professors” and “longstanding A.P. principles.”
