The College Board, the testing organization behind the AP African American studies course, denounced the Florida government's rejection of the course, arguing that lawmakers were spreading misinformation for political gain.
On Saturday, the board aimed at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education. In a statement, they said they had discussed the importance of critical conversation surrounding what is taught to young students.
College Board vs. Florida
However, they also condemned DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education's apparent deviation from what can be called a healthy debate. The College Board argued that the Republican administration was spreading false information, prompting the board to clear misunderstandings regarding the course.
The chief executive of the College Board, David Coleman, spoke of the changes made to the course that saw the removal of some topics viewed as essential to current times, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and reparations.
Some questioned whether or not pressure from DeSantis was a crucial factor in changing the content of the course. But Coleman reassured the doubters in the room that this was not the case. He noted that motivations for the revisions were pure, as per the New York Times.
The state of Florida was in a back-and-forth motion last week after officials released a chronology of its communications with the College Board. Authorities were trying to take credit for the changes made to the course content.
The board relies primarily on state participation to administer tests but has not hit back at the Florida government. They claim that the changes were made after discussions with teachers regarding what content works, adding that politics was never involved in the decision-making process.
On Saturday, the board released a statement claiming that the Florida Department of Education was trying to stoke publicity. It added that the department clearly showed that it was filled with ignorance regarding African American studies.
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AP African American Course
However, the College Board did admit that it made some mistakes in the course framework that it argued were being exploited by officials. According to CNN, the board disputed how Florida authorities, who are now asking for the course to be submitted once again for consideration, have characterized their words and influence with the nonprofit organization.
The board's statement read that while it was customary for debate over the content of a new AP course, the recent controversies have moved from a healthy setting into misinformation.
On the other hand, Florida's Department of Education claimed that the new AP course was contrary to the state's laws. Authorities also said that the new course lacked any "educational value."
The board argued that the course was simply an outline for the pilot course, and it acknowledged that it should have been more clear about contemporary events such as the Black Lives Matter movement, reparations, and mass incarceration as being crucial components in the framework of the course, said Business Insider.
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