ARKANSAS, USA — After an announcement was made by the Arkansas Department of Education regarding Advancement Placement (AP) classes on African American studies not being offered or recognized for course credit as an AP course for the 2023-2024 year, six schools in Arkansas said that they intend to continue offering AP African American Studies to students for the 2023 school year.
Arkansas Department of Education Secretary, Jacob Oliva is now asking those school districts to hand over the course material.
Secretary Oliva sent out a letter that stated that to ensure that the school districts comply with state law, he will need to see what is being taught.
The department said it was "concerned the pilot may not comply with Arkansas law" and cited the pilot course's inclusion of themes like "intersections of identity" and "resistance and resilience" in regards to the teaching materials.
In each unit of the course framework, it is broken down into four themes: migration and the Africa diaspora; intersections of identity; creativity, expression, and the arts; and resistance and resilience. Each theme description explains the coursework and how they connect to the lessons being taught in the units.
This letter comes after the legislature passed a law that prohibits "indoctrinating" students with the teaching of critical race theory.
The College Board once reiterated that the course is "not indoctrination, plain and simple."
"It is a college-level course rooted in the work of 300 scholars and includes facts of African-American experiences in the United States through primary sources that incorporate a combination of history, English, music, and more," said Holly Stepp, Executive Director of Communications for The College Board.
Stepp said the course framework has been available since February 2023 and that the Arkansas Department of Education approved the pilot course code in October 2022.
"AP teachers are experienced and highly skilled professionals," Stepp said. "We are fully confident in their abilities to teach this course without any indoctrination."
The Little Rock District, North Little Rock School District, eStem Public Charter School District, Jonesboro Public Schools, and the Jacksonville North Pulaski School will all have to give the materials to the Department of Education by September 8.
To see the complete letter, please click here.