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A Georgia State superintendent has changed his tune and will allow the state to pay districts to teach a new AP course in Black Studies. Superintendent Richard Woods originally said districts could only teach the course using local funds. But, amid growing outrage, the Georgia Department of Education says the state will pay for districts to teach the course as long as districts use a state-approved course in Black studies, according to AP.
“Districts can choose to use that course code and teach some or all of the standards in the AP course, and students may take the associated AP exam,” Meghan Frick, a spokesperson for the state department, told AP.
During a rally on Wednesday, democrats called out Woods, blaming him for trying to keep students ignorant of Georgia’s messy history when it comes to race.
“We are gathered here today in solidarity, standing firm with our students and teachers who have been blindsided by an abrupt and unjust decision to remove AP African American Studies reports from our state curriculum,” said state Sen. Nikki Merritt. “This decision strips away a vital opportunity for our students to engage with and understand a significant part of our shared history.”
Other supporters of the course called the state’s original refusal discriminatory.
“To suggest that course is somehow less than is not OK,” Rep. Jasmine Clark told AP.
In a letter, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp also pushed back against Woods, describing himself as “a longtime believer that families should ultimately make the decisions which best meet their child’s academic needs and futures.”
Woods never fully explained his reasoning for originally refusing to back the course with state funds. His only statement was that he “had concerns about the state endorsing the totality of the course.”
According to the Georgia Department of Education, all other Advanced Placement courses are listed in the state course catalog.
The College Board, a nonprofit testing entity, offers Advanced Placement courses across the academic spectrum, including in math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional and taught at a college level. Students who score well on a final exam can usually earn college credit.
Last year, Ron Desantis and Florida’s Department of Education kicked off the Republican agenda to rid the state of Advanced Placement African American Studies, saying it “significantly lacks educational value.”
Republicans have made it their mission to destroy any CRT or DEI initiatives.
SEE ALSO:
Gov. Ron DeSantis Defends Florida Rejecting ‘Radical’ AP African American Studies Course
Ron DeSantis Administration Demands Universities Report Programs On Diversity, CRT
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