College Board Announces Changes to AP African American Studies Course Following Criticism

The College Board announced on Monday that changes will be made to its new Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course, following criticism that the agency had bowed to political pressure and removed several topics from the framework, including Black Lives Matter, slavery reparations and queer life.

In a statement, the College Board said that the development committee and experts charged with authoring the course “will determine the details of those changes over the next few months.” The company also said that it is “committed to providing an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture.”

The AP African American studies course gained national attention this winter when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024, called for the state’s education commissioner to review the course. Governor DeSantis said that he was concerned about the course’s “radical ideology” and its potential to “indoctrinate students.”

In response to the criticism, the College Board said that it had removed some topics from the framework, but that it would “continue to ensure that the course is balanced and that it reflects the diversity of perspectives on the topics it covers.”

The College Board has not yet revealed what changes will be made to the course, but it has said that it will provide an update in the coming months. In the meantime, the company has said that it is “committed to providing an accurate and comprehensive exploration of African American history and culture.”