DeSantis administration calls planned lawsuit over AP African American course ‘publicity stunt’

Ernie Sampera contributed to this report.

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined Democrat officials Wednesday to announce their intent to file a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis after the Department of Education rejected the AP African American Studies course from being taught in high schools.

“We’re here to give notice to Governor DeSantis. If he does not negotiate with the College Board to allow AP African American Studies to be taught in the classrooms across the state of Florida, that these three young people will be the lead plaintiffs,” Crump said at Wednesday’s press conference.

“You cannot exterminate us. You cannot exterminate our culture, and you can never exterminate the value of our children.”

Three AP honors high school students serving as the lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit joined Crump for the announcement, which happened Wednesday afternoon in the Capitol Rotunda.

The Florida Department of Education rejected the course due to lack of “educational value” and “historical accuracy.” The governor’s office had called the course an avenue to be filled with “ideological material.” FDOE responded to Crump’s announcement.

“This threat is nothing more than a meritless publicity stunt,” Communications Director Alex Lanfranconi said.

After Florida rejected the course, the College Board announced Tuesday it would update the course. The College Board said it would release the course’s “official framework,” which has been in the works since March 2022 to replace the preliminary pilot course framework. The revised program framework is expected to be released Feb. 1, which is the first day of Black History Month.

A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education said Tuesday the department is glad the College Board recognized that the originally submitted course curriculum is “problematic” and was encouraged by the Board’s willingness to amend.

Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. expressed concern regarding critical race theory being taught in the course.

The course teaches intersectionality, which ranks people based on their race, wealth, gender and sexual orientation. One section teaches “Black Queer Studies” and includes readings from people saying people should build “forms of queerness that reject the given realities of the government and the market.” Another major concern of the department was the reparations section, where the course advocated for reparation without providing a balancing perspective.

Members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus called the administration’s move “appalling” and said black history should be respected and taught. Tampa Democratic State Rep. Dianna Hart said that the governor “sees no value” in the history of Black people.

Florida law requires students learn about African American history in K-12 education. The governor’s office provided the Florida statute outlining that students should learn about topics including the enslavement experience; the history and contributions of Americans of the African diaspora to society; and an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping on individual freedoms.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information about the Wednesday press conference and the Department of Education’s response.