This week the College Board announced it was revising the curriculum of its new Advanced Placement African American Studies course, removing elements around Black writers associated with Critical Race Theory as well as content relating to Black LGBTQ issues and Black feminism. It also added “Black conservatism” as an idea for a research project.
The changes were hailed as a victory by Republicans including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who recently announced plans to ban the old version of the course in his state because he said it had a “woke” agenda and leaned heavily on critical race theory.
The news was just the latest flare-up in the partisan fight over how race is taught in K-12 schools and college classrooms. Beneath the fights over critical race theory, however, are deeper partisan divides on how Democrats and Republicans feel about education in America. Polling data suggest Republicans, in particular, have developed a sour view of public schools and college in general. CONTINUED
Dante Chinni, NBC News
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