‘It’s not a reversal’: Georgia teachers union responds to AP African American History course shift

Only a day after announcing otherwise, Wednesday night the Georgia Department of Education said schools can receive state funding for an Advanced Placement African American History class if districts use a course code linked to an existing Black history course.

The existing Intro to African American studies class has been in the catalogue of state-funded courses since 2020. In a statement, State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a statement he has concerns about endorsing the entire AP course.

“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,” Woods said.

In his statement, Woods said students can still take the associate AP exam after finishing a class under the existing code.

Lisa Morgan is the president of the Georgia Association of Educators. She said this new guidance could put teachers in an uncertain situation.

Teachers must complete a specialized weeklong College Board training to teach an Advanced Placement course. In contrast, any teacher certified to teach social studies can teach the Georgia Introduction to African American Studies class.

“If the code that my district tells the state I’m teaching is the Introduction to African American studies — the Georgia course — an ethics complaint could be filed if that were not the standards I was teaching,” Morgan said.

Morgan also said there is still another serious issue.

“It is not a reversal,” she said. “A reversal is the superintendent recommending AP African-American studies being added to the approved list of courses and the state Board of Education approving that course — which is not what happened.”

Gov. Brain Kemp also sent a letter to Woods with questions he had about Woods’ decision against recommending AP African American Studies for approval. Kemp asked if the state funded the pilot program for the course and, if Woods reviewed the curriculum initially, what caused his opinion to change since then?

The decision not to fund the course came Tuesday, leading many school districts to cancel plans to teach AP African American History when the school year starts in less than two weeks.

Educators, students and lawmakers spoke out against the decision in a rally Wednesday at the state capitol. Speakers at the rally believe House Bill 1084, a state law which bans teaching so-called “divisive concepts” like race and racism, is the reason the class isn’t approved.

Nate Whipple is a senior at Lassiter High School in Marrietta. He said the removal of the course follows a trend around the nation of political suppression.

“We are not interested in your political games,” Whipple said. “In the end, it’s about our future and our right to a comprehensive education that respects and reflects the true diversity of our history and society.”

Gwinnett County Public Schools is the largest school district in Georgia. Leaders in GCPS announced Tuesday AP African American studies would be canceled this school year in response to the initial decision from the state school superintendent Woods.

Mallory Fannin is a teacher in Gwinnett County who took additional training to teach the AP African American history course. She said the decision not to approve it is deeply troubling and a mismanagement of resources.

“By canceling this course without adequate notice or explanation, Superintendent Woods has not only disrupted our educational plans, but has also undermined the principles of transparency and respect that should govern educational policy,” she said.

GCPS said in a statement that the district is in communication with Woods to explore options for including this AP course in the district’s curriculum.

This story comes to Rough Draft via a media partnership with GPB News .

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