Late January, Desantis and other Florida officials announced that Florida would be banning the new Advanced Placement African American Studies course, reasons being that the course included “queer theory” and movements that advocated for “abolishing prisons.”
Being a high school student in Florida myself, the thin veneer of “protecting our children from the Woke crowd and preserving their innocence” is a flimsy excuse to discourage meaningful discussion about discrimination that continues to persist today.
However, as frustrating as this decision has been for me and other Florida highschoolers, it is only one more step backwards to genuine discussion of the systemic racism in our society, compounded with other decisions made by the Floridian government that acts against minority groups.
In 2021, Florida legislature introduced the Stop WOKE Act. It was later signed into law in April of 2022. The bill banned the teaching of critical race theory, among other limits on the curriculum based . Essentially, it boils down to, as explained in West Palm Beach local NBC, “if it makes people uncomfortable because it exposes the racism and oppression that our society was based on instead of washing it out”, it can’t be taught.
It is under this context, where meaningful discussions of racism, gender and sexuality are strictly regulated that Florida’s block of AP African American Studies happens. While I might have found the fact that dozens of math textbooks, of all things, have been rejected because they were found to contain traces of “critical race theory” hilarious in it’s absurdity, the fact remains is that the blocking of AP African American Studies is just one event in the string of many that has affected Florida’s education of so-called “woke” topics.
What’s concerning is that this is just one in the wave of many attempts to push back against the voices of minorities by conservative politicians.
From Texas book banning specifically targeting racism and LGBTQ+ topics that has spread to other parts of the country, to versions of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law that are popping up in state legislatures, attempts to silence and prevent youth from learning about the diversity and tolerance in our world keep on cropping up. The decision to block AP African American Studies in Florida is just another example of these efforts.
Florida’s decision to block the inclusion of AP African American Studies in its high school curriculum is a step backward in the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable education system. This decision sends the wrong message to students, educators, and communities, and undermines the efforts of those who have been fighting for greater diversity and representation in our schools.
At a time when the need for greater understanding and empathy across racial lines has never been more pressing, the decision to block AP African American Studies is particularly troubling. This course aims to be a valuable opportunity for students to learn about the history, culture, and experiences of African Americans, and to engage with the issues that continue to shape their lives today.
Of course, the course may not be perfect. The new curriculum College Board posted on February 1st for the course removes discussion on Black intellectuals associated with critical race theory, the Black LGBT experience, and Black feminism, all of which are critical facets of Black history. However, the decision to block a course about Black history is a harm when Florida education barely touches upon it and prefers to gloss over harsh realities.
By blocking this course, Florida is not only depriving its students of a critical learning opportunity, but also perpetuating a long-standing pattern of marginalization and exclusion. For too long, the contributions and perspectives of African Americans have been neglected or overlooked in our schools, leaving many students with a distorted and incomplete understanding of our history and society.
Moreover, by blocking AP African American Studies, Florida is sending a message that some perspectives and voices are less valuable than others, which is not only unfair but also counterproductive. We need a diverse and inclusive education system that values all perspectives and prepares students to engage with the complexities of our world.
History is a major part of identity, to suppress it is to erase identities and who people are. The denial and blocks on teaching diverse history is an attempt to erase the important facts of the past that shape the present and its people.
Florida’s decision to block AP African American Studies is a shortsighted and disappointing move that undermines the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable education system. We must continue to fight for greater diversity and representation in our schools.
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