TAKE ACTION

Hi, John:

As soon as The College Board rolled out the Advanced Placement African American Studies course, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) launched its smear campaign to defeat the pilot program and censor Black history in K-12 education. 

Though Black educators and disciplinary experts shaped the AP African American Studies course, the FLDOE released statements contesting its historical accuracy and educational value.¹ When this tactic did not garner enough support, the FLDOE falsely claimed it had been in constant conversation with The College Board and had advised them to cut almost 20 topics from the course.² This was proven to be a blatant lie. None of these topics were erased from the curriculum, but rather uploaded to the AP Classroom Digital Library to create a more manageable pace of learning for students, while also ensuring access to concepts that would deepen their knowledge of Black history and culture.³

DEMAND THAT ANY CORPORATION BANKROLLING members of the FLDOE HOLD THEIR EXECUTIVES ACCOUNTABLE!

The FLDOE’s decision to ban AP African American Studies denies Black students the chance to see their histories take center stage, and now its smear campaign will create additional barriers to accessing higher education.⁴ On Monday, Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis shared that the state legislature plans to “reevaluate” its relationship with The College Board, meaning students could lose access to all AP courses as well as the PSAT/SAT tests.⁵  While many colleges and universities have made testing optional for entry, some still require entrance exams (e.g., MIT and Georgetown), and AP courses are critical to securing admission to highly selective schools and competitive scholarship programs. At a time when Black students face significant psychological, financial, and physical barriers to higher education, this decision could worsen existing educational inequities.⁶

John, the next generation of leaders deserves more. Walmart, AT&T, and other corporations with FLDOE members on their payroll must be held accountable for picking a side: Black students or their anti-Black executives. Can we count on you to apply pressure to these corporations by demanding a public statement condemning their executives’ recent attacks on Black history and students?

SEND A LETTER TO WALMART

SEND A LETTER TO AT&T

Until Justice Is Real,

The Color Of Change Team

1. Tina Burnside, “College Board hits back at Florida’s initial rejection of AP African American Studies course and admits its mistakes in rollout,” CNN U.S., February 13, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388669?t=10&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr
2. College Board Communications, “College Board Responds to the Florida Department of Education,” All Access: College Board, February 8, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388670?t=12&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr; Anemona Hartocollis and Eliza Fawcett, “The College Board strips down its AP Curriculum for African American Studies,” The New York Times, February 1, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388671?t=14&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr. 
3. College Board Communications, “College Board Responds to the Florida Department of Education,” All Access: College Board, February 8, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388670?t=16&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr. 
4. Jacob Knutson, “DeSantis: Florida to ‘reevaluate’ College Board services, AP classes,” AXIOS, February 13, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388672?t=18&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr. 
5. Jacob Knutson, “DeSantis: Florida to ‘reevaluate’ College Board services, AP classes,” AXIOS, February 13, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388672?t=20&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr. Alison Durkee, “DeSantis wants Florida to cut ties with College Board over African American AP course–here’s what that would actually mean,” Forbes, February 14, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388685?t=22&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr
6. Nina Dulabaum, “Barriers to academic success: a qualitative study of African American and Latino male students,” League, June 2016, vol. 11, no. 6, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/388686?t=24&akid=55572%2E4731121%2E87EQDr

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