AP African American Studies: What’s Next for Florida?

Florida’s breaking blockage of College Board’s AP African American Studies course has sparked nationwide discourse. Following Governor Desantis’ course rejection, the debate over AP African American Studies and its value as a class saw drastic increase with College Board taking strides to shift curriculum content. 

As excruciating as Desantis’ decision comes, the banning of AP African American Studies is reflective of Florida’s current stance upon a myriad of social issues. 

Not only does this ban indicate the blockage of education upon a historically crucial curriculum, it falls in line with things like Desantis signing on to the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, banning federal resources from teaching students about subjects ranging from sexual activity to gender orientation. 

Similarly, Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E. Act, which pushed for prohibition of teaching certain concepts related to race, was largely supported by Desantis before a preliminary injunction to prevent enforcement. 

And most recently, Desantis’ ban of AP African American Studies in Florida schools doesn’t just ban the potential college credit and AP exam, it also bars students from learning about origins of the African diaspora, freedom, enslavement, resistance, and movements and debates, all units within the course’s framework. 

Even worse, Florida’s action towards the class has influenced College Board, paring down the curriculum. College Board has been quick for revisions, omitting large aspects of contemporary events. Black Lives Matter, incarceration, hopes towards reparations, and queer life have all been stripped from the AP exam. As a result, even if the class is offered in other states it lacks many of the topics originally intended for discussion. With this, the future for AP African American Studies being what it was intended to be is strained.