Dozens of LGBT advocacy groups sent a letter to the College Board demanding the resignation of CEO David Coleman after the board altered its Advanced Placement African American studies course due to criticism from Florida's Department of Education (FDE), The Hill reported Tuesday.
The letter alleges the it lacked transparency in its discussions with the FDE and only understand the harm caused from "unsubstantiated accusations" that the course curriculum followed a "woke" agenda after a backlash.
"The public rollout of the College Board's long-awaited Advanced Placement Black Studies Course has been a public relations and brand disaster for your institution causing pain, division, and turmoil for the community it sought to celebrate," stated the letter, which was headed by the National Black Justice Coalition and the Human Rights Campaign.
The controversy began last month when FDE rejected the AP course for schools in the state, stating it lacked "educational value," The Hill reported.
Bryan Griffin, Gov. Ron DeSantis's press secretary, said that, "as submitted, the course is a vehicle for a political agenda and leaves large, ambiguous gaps that can be filled with additional ideological material, which we will not allow. As Gov. DeSantis has stated, our classrooms will be a place for education, not indoctrination."
At a press conference, DeSantis specified that the topic of "Black queer studies" was particularly problematic.
Florida's Parental Rights in Education law, which critics call the "Don't say gay law," bars conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity "in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."
Florida has also banned schools from teaching "critical race theory," an academic framework that aims to frame racism in the United States. Some experts have noted that the theory is usually taught in universities, not elementary or high schools, but Republicans have used opposition to the theory as a rallying cry, according to The Hill.
The College Board and Florida held discussions, with the board earlier this month putting out new curriculum, which removed Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory, as well as readings on the Black LGBT experience and Black feminism. It added "Black conservatism" as a potential research topic for students.
But when it received criticism for the new curriculum, it put out a letter accusing the FDE of slander and said alterations were not made due to the state's complaints, adding that the subjects that appeared to be removed were actually optional research topics for students to pursue independently, The Hill reported.
The letter from leading LGBT organizations pointed out to the board, however, that it held discussions with Florida officials numerous times before the release of the revisions and that "the meetings with Florida officials were about removing the depth, breadth, and recency of Black history in its study of Black life — including the removal of Black feminist and queer life and history, the movements for reparations and Black lives, and more."
The letter further stated that the changes, including topics being made optional, were due to partisan political pressure.
The letter added that "new leadership is required if the College Board lacks the courage and character to advocate for students and academic freedom; and against the DeSantis regime's book banning, censorship, and surveillance agenda."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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