College Board revises African American studies class after DeSantis criticism

The College Board on Wednesday released a revised version of an Advanced Placement African American studies course following criticism from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who refused to allow the program to run in the state’s schools. 

In a new framework for the course reviewed by The Hill, Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory have been scrubbed from the curriculum, as have those who touch on the Black queer experience and Black feminism. Other topics, like Black Lives Matter, are now optional. 

The Board also added “Black conservatism” as a potential research topic. 

David Coleman, the head of the College Board, told The New York Times that these changes were not made to bow to political pressure.

 “At the College Board, we can’t look to statements of political leaders,” Coleman said. The changes, he said, came from “the input of professors” and “longstanding A.P. principles.”

But last week, when changes were first announced, DeSantis’s administration took credit for the move.