Students May Sue DeSantis for Rejecting African American Studies Course

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Facts

  • Three Florida students — all Advanced Placement (AP) honors students — announced on Wednesday that they'll sue Gov. Ron DeSantis if he doesn’t reinstate an African American studies course to the AP curriculum.
  • Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney who’s representing the students along with attorney Craig Whisenhunt, says that blocking the course violates both state and federal constitutions.
  • Previously, DeSantis blocked the course from Florida’s high schools while claiming it is “historically inaccurate” and violates the “Stop WOKE Act,” which he signed into law last year.
  • The “Stop WOKE Act” limits race-related conversations and instruction at workplaces and schools, and bans practices that classify any ethnic group as racist or insist one group should feel guilty about past actions taken by that group.
  • The Florida Department of Education called the course 'inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value,” but gave the College Board a chance to bring the course into compliance and earn consideration for a return to the curriculum.
  • The College Board has announced it will revise the course by Feb. 1, but it did not connect this decision to what has happened in Florida.

Sources: Axios, Axios, FOX News, Abc, Abc and NPR Online News.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by MSNBC. DeSantis is trying to push his conservative views of history on Florida’s students, and all he’s doing is proving how ignorant he is about history that’s been often ignored in the schools for too long. An AP African American studies course would fill in large gaps in the curriculum. This is reactionary and regressive on DeSantis's part.
  • Right narrative, as provided by Townhall. The curriculum of the African American studies course contained so much problematic content that the College Board has already agreed to revise it. This incident could’ve been avoided if the board had been transparent about the curriculum in the first place. Any threats of lawsuits are just publicity stunts for lawyers. Florida's students deserve high-quality and accurate history.