Wednesday, Georgia State Schools Superintendent Richard Woods permitted the state to pay districts to teach an Advanced Placement course in African-American studies. This decision was a shocking about-face that came in about 48 hours.
Monday afternoon, Gwinnett County Public Schools was told the State Board of Education (SBOE) would not agree to adopt the class. Tuesday morning, that news became public. Wednesday, Georgia State Representative, Dr. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat from Lilburn, spoke out against the decision.
“I want to be clear to Governor Brian Kemp, State School Superintendent Richard Woods, and the State Board of Education: Do right by our students,” exclaimed Clark. “Reinstate AP African American Studies. Do right by our teachers who have spent time preparing to teach this class. Do right by the students of Georgia. Because, Black history is not just slave history. Black history is not just a history of us being strange fruit hanging on trees. Black history is not just about us being shoved out and passed aside. Our history is rich and diverse, and it starts way before the transatlantic slave trade.”
The College Board, a nonprofit testing entity, offers Advanced Placement courses across the academic spectrum. This includes math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts classes. Students can earn college credit if they can attain high scores on their final exams.
“What Superintendent Woods is doing is intellectual terrorism,” explained Jamal Bryant, Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. “Because it is in fact handicapping our students from being able to compete on a global stage. To extract African American history out of the minds and out of the palette of Georgia students will and in fact, rewrite history.”
Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church speaks during a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
Republicans’ push ‘anti-woke’ policies
Two years ago, “divisive concepts” legislation was pushed through the General Assembly by Republicans. At the time, Senate Bill 377 and House Bill 1084 were similar bills with language from an executive order by former President Donald J. Trump. Both bills forbade the teaching of lessons that are “inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously”. Equally important, the bill says no one “should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of his or her race.”
Moreover, it was part of a push by Republicans to ban Critical Race Theory in Georgia Public Schools. By definition, Critical Race Theory seeks to highlight how historical inequities and racism continue to shape public policy and social conditions today. The concept is only taught in law schools. Critical Race Theory has never been taught in any K-12 public school in the United States.
But, Republicans continually argue that it promotes a distorted view of American history while vilifying white Americans as inherently racist.
Woods countered, in a statement, that schools will retain the ability to teach some or all of the standards in the AP African American studies course if they choose to do so.
“When I reviewed the AP course, I had concerns about the state endorsing the totality of the course,” Woods wrote. “It’s my position that districts should use the existing course code – which offers them the flexibility to develop their own curriculum based on local priorities – or to use standards from the AP course if they choose and in consultation with their communities.”
Members of the Government weigh in
Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman expressed his disappointment in Superintendent Woods’s decision. He said, in part:
“I am deeply disappointed by the Georgia State School Superintendent’s decision not to approve the Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies class in high schools. African American history is an integral part of American history, and this decision is particularly detrimental to Atlanta, given its profound social justice legacy and significant contributions to our nation’s civil rights progress.
Next, Governor Kemp wrote to State Superintendent Woods. He requested more information regarding his decision. The Governor’s Office does not have any decision-making powers in this regard. Nonetheless, Kemp asked Woods questions such as:
- Did the state fund the pilot of the AP African American Studies course?
- If so, how much did the pilot cost the state?
- Over the past 10 years, how many pilot AP courses have been recommended by the state and how many have not been recommended?
- How many students participated in the pilot of the AP African American Studies course?
By the end of the day, Woods reversed his decision. However, his change of heart arrived after the Georgia Republican Party was excoriated locally, statewide, and around the nation.
“Republicans do not want the best public schools that we can offer,” explained Georgia State Minority Leader Gloria Butler. They want our public schools starved of money. Our teachers are fired if they don’t toe the Republican line. How do I know? Because for 20 years, that’s what they’ve done.”
Georgia Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler speaks during a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
