Arkansas Bars Students From Getting Graduation Credit For AP African American Studies

The Arkansas Department of Education has decided to prohibit high school students from receiving credit toward graduation for taking the Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course, according to HuffPost. The course, which is offered by the College Board, is a pilot program that aims to provide students with a comprehensive and rigorous study of the history, culture, and contributions of African Americans in the United States and beyond. The course was offered in one school in Arkansas last year and was set to be offered in six schools this year.

However, state officials have deemed the course as “indoctrination” and have barred students from getting graduation credit or weighted grade point average for taking it. They have also told schools that they will not pay for the $98 fee that students need to pay to take the AP final exam, which can earn them college credit. The decision was made in accordance with a new law that was implemented by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders ® on her first day in office, which bans “teaching that would indoctrinate students with ideologies, such as [critical race theory].”

Arkansas Bars Students From Getting Graduation Credit For AP African American Studies
Arkansas Bars Students From Getting Graduation Credit For AP African American Studies

Critical race theory is an academic framework that examines how racism and power structures shape society and institutions. It has become a target of conservative backlash in recent months, as some Republicans accuse it of promoting anti-American and anti-white sentiments. However, supporters of the AP African American Studies course argue that it is not based on critical race theory, but rather on factual and historical evidence.

College Board defends the course as “rigorous and factual”

The College Board, which is a nonprofit organization that administers standardized tests and curricula for college admission and placement, has defended the AP African American Studies course as a “rigorous and factual” course that meets the academic standards of colleges and universities. The College Board said that it did not receive any requests, suggestions, or feedback from Arkansas or any other state regarding the course, except for emails containing “inflamed rhetoric” that echoed the public statements of some Republican politicians.

“We share in their surprise, confusion, and disappointment at this new guidance that the course won’t count toward graduation credits or [be] weighted the same as other AP courses offered in the state,” the College Board said in a statement. The College Board also disputed the claim that it had negotiated with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another 2024 presidential candidate, about the course. DeSantis had said that he had “put pressure” on the College Board to ensure that the course would not be taught in Florida schools.

The College Board said that it had no negotiations with Florida or any state about the course, and that it had not received any formal requests from Florida to review or approve the course. The College Board also said that it had not received any complaints from Florida educators or students who had taken the course last year.

Little Rock School District vows to continue offering the course

Despite the state’s decision, the Little Rock School District, which is home to Central High School, an epicenter of the battle for desegregation in 1957, has announced that it will continue to offer the AP African American Studies course to its students. The district said that it believes that the course is valuable and relevant for its students, who are predominantly Black.

“We are proud to offer this course as an option for our students who want to learn more about the rich history and culture of African Americans,” Mike Poore, the superintendent of the Little Rock School District, said in a statement. Poore also said that he hopes that the state will reconsider its position and allow students to receive graduation credit and weighted GPA for taking the course.

The district also said that it will cover the cost of the AP exam fee for students who want to take it. However, it is unclear how many students will be able to take advantage of this opportunity, as some schools may not have enough teachers or resources to offer the course.

Students and educators express frustration and disappointment

The state’s decision has sparked outrage and disappointment among students and educators who were looking forward to taking or teaching the AP African American Studies course. Some students said that they felt cheated and discriminated against by the state’s action.

“I feel like they’re trying to erase our history and our culture,” Jada Williams, a senior at Central High School who had signed up for the course, told HuffPost. Williams said that she wanted to take the course because she felt that her previous history classes had not covered enough about African American history. She also said that she hoped to earn college credit by taking the AP exam.

“I feel like they’re taking away an opportunity from me and other students who want to learn more about ourselves,” she said.

Some educators also expressed frustration and dismay at the state’s decision. They said that they had spent months preparing for teaching the course, which they believed was important and beneficial for their students.

“I was shocked and saddened by this decision,” Dr. John Kirk, a professor of history and director of the Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, who helped train teachers for the course, told HuffPost. Kirk said that he had seen the positive impact that the course had on students who took it last year, and that he had hoped to see it expand to more schools this year.

“This course is not indoctrination, it’s education,” he said. “It’s not about promoting a political agenda, it’s about providing a balanced and accurate account of African American history and culture.”

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