Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E. (Wrong to Our Kids and Employees) Act sparked nationwide controversy after it was used to justify the banning of an Advanced Placement African American Studies course throughout the state.
The act, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022, prohibits educators from teaching students content that may lead them to believe that members of a certain race, sex or national origin are superior or inherently racist.
The act was passed in an effort to “go back to the basics” of education, while rejecting topics related to critical race theory, which recognizes systemic racism in all areas of American society.
The Florida Department of Education announced the ban of the AP African American Studies course in January. According to a press release, DeSantis claimed it violated the act and lacked educational value.
The course, which is being piloted at 60 schools across the country, highlights the contributions of African Americans in the fields of literature, political science, geography and the arts.
Speculation arose as to whether the College Board was in contact with the Florida Department of Education regarding the contents of the course, after the newly released framework seemed to remove topics like Black Lives Matter, queer studies and reparations.
The College Board publicly denied these claims in a statement published last week, stating that they were politically motivated.
“We deeply regret not immediately denouncing the Florida Department of Education’s slander,” the statement reads. “Our failure to raise our voice betrayed Black scholars everywhere and those who have long toiled to build this remarkable field.”
The ban has received pushback from politicians and Floridians who raised the importance of Black history in education.
In a recent tweet, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy wrote that the AP course would be taught in 26 high schools statewide.