SEF supports Georgia’s approval of AP African American Studies
Statement – Aug. 7, 2024
Contact: Alan Richard, arichard@southerneducation.org, (202) 641-1300
We appreciate the Georgia state school superintendent’s announcement today that Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies is approved and now part of the state-funded course catalog. His announcement follows the hard work of many students, teachers, advocates and state officials who opposed the state superintendent’s initial failure to approve the AP course.
Today’s announcement, however, does not allay all our concerns about the harmful impact of the state’s “divisive concepts” law. The state superintendent’s original decision is still impacting the teachers, students, principals, and school district leaders dealing with course schedule changes, just as the school year begins. This unnecessary situation shows why state leaders must fully understand students’ needs and seek input from educators, students, and community members in all education policy and regulatory decisions.
While the attorney general rightly determined the law does not prohibit the full implementation of any specific AP academic course, the past two weeks have shown how the law is wreaking havoc in education — in this circumstance, disproportionately affecting Black students, about 40% of the students in Georgia public schools. Simply allowing schools to offer AP African American Studies — the only AP course focused on Black Americans and the broader history of the African diaspora — should have never been in question.
AP African American Studies was the only AP course to ever face such scrutiny from the state. About 20% of the AP courses offered in the state include ethnic studies of some kind. The ordeal over this AP course signals that academic coursework focused and centered on African Americans and Black history are treated differently in Georgia. This is offensive to many Georgians and completely unacceptable.
We will continue to oppose any type of “divisive concepts” law and other censorship efforts in Georgia and other Southern states. The situation in Georgia clearly shows these laws do not serve the best interests of students, educators, and communities. Such laws have introduced more partisan politics into education, not less.