DeSantis administration blocks African-American studies classes in Florida high schools

Why did this school ban books on racism?

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(CNN) --

The administration of Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has blocked a new Advanced Placement (AP) course on African-American studies for high school students.

In a January 12 letter to the College Board, the nonprofit organization that oversees AP courses, the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) Office of Articulation said the course is "inexplicably contrary to to Florida law and is significantly lacking in educational value.”

The letter did not elaborate on what the agency found objectionable in the content of the course.

A spokeswoman for the department did not immediately respond to a CNN inquiry.

• DeSantis proposes to permanently ban COVID-19 vaccine and mask requirements in Florida

“Moving forward, if the College Board is willing to come back to the table with legally and historically accurate content, the FDOE will always be willing to reopen the discussion,” the letter said.

In a statement to CNN, the College Board declined to directly address the decision in Florida, but said, "We look forward to bringing this rich and inspiring exploration of African-American history and culture to students across the country."

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The rejection of an Advanced Placement African-American studies course follows efforts by DeSantis to revise Florida's educational curriculum to limit teaching on critical race theory.

In 2021, the state enacted a law prohibiting teaching the concept that explores the history of systemic racism in America and its ongoing impacts.

The law also banned material from The 1619 Project, a New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning project to recast American history around the arrival of slave ships on American shores.

Last year, DeSantis also signed a bill restricting how schools can discuss race with students.

The College Board revealed plans to offer an African-American studies class for the first time last year.

The course is being piloted in 60 schools across the country during the 2022-23 school year with the goal of making the course available to all schools in the 2024-25 school year.

The first AP African-American Studies exam would be administered in the spring of 2025, according to the College Board's website.

It was not immediately clear if Florida has any schools currently participating in the pilot program.

The College Board said the Advanced Placement Program has been working with higher education institutions to develop an African American Studies program for a decade.

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"Like all new AP courses, AP African-American Studies is undergoing a rigorous multi-year pilot phase, gathering feedback from teachers, students, academics, and policymakers," the statement said.

“The process of piloting and reviewing course frameworks is a standard part of any new AP course, and frameworks often change significantly as a result.

We will publicly release the updated course framework when it is complete and well before this class is widely available in American high schools."

In a Twitter post Wednesday, Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones, who is black, noted that Florida offers other AP cultural courses.

“This political extremism and its attack on black history and black people will create a whole generation of black children who will not be able to see themselves reflected in their own education or in their own state,” Jones said.

DeSantis's move comes as his standing among conservatives has skyrocketed across the country following his public stances on current cultural issues and against public health officials and bureaucrats during the covid-19 pandemic.

He is said to be weighing a possible 2024 presidential run.

A group of Republican state lawmakers in Michigan, seeking to recruit him for the 2024 race, signed a letter that was delivered to the Florida governor last month, asking him to "seek our Republican Party's presidential nomination."

The letter was signed by 18 Republican members of the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives, who wrote that DeSantis is "uniquely and uniquely qualified to provide the leadership and competence sadly lacking at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."

In closing, they said they "are ready and willing to help you win Michigan in 2024."

The details of the letter were first reported by Politico.

CNN's David Wright contributed to this report.

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