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☆ Opinion: How to fight back against the ‘anti-woke’ movement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Opinion Khalil Gibran Muhammad | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Several states across the country have imposed bans on books, K-12 educational curricula and diversity programs in recent months. And even where statewide bans are not in place, restrictive measures are being enacted by local school boards. The mere mention of structural racism or gender discrimination or sexuality can potentially cost educators and librarians their jobs. The beginnings of this national movement to defend the freedom to learn is rekindling relationships between college students and civil rights activists and inspiring new ones between college faculty and K-12 teachers and librarians. With such formidable alliances among students, teachers, organizers and academics being forged in communities across the country, we finally have an answer to reverse the swelling tide of injustice and authoritarianism.

☆ Don't make America Florida, make it New Jersey instead, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Phil Murphy is pitching his home state of New Jersey as a model for America. He sat down with Insider in Florida, criticizing the state's policies under DeSantis. As head of the Democratic Governors Association, he wants blue states to be a contrast to red states. Ron DeSantis of Florida hasn't been subtle about selling his vision of what America should be. Phil Murphy is urging voters to look much further north on the East Coast, to New Jersey.

☆ Ron DeSantis will spend up to $4 billion on school vouchers for Florida families to challenge 'woke' public schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ron DeSantis is waging a war against 'woke' public schools. On Monday, the governor signed universal school vouchers into law, which both conservatives and liberals expect to hurt public schools. Public school enrollment has only dropped a few percentage points, from 89.6% to 87.2%, since Republican Gov. Now, however, DeSantis' move to broaden the voucher program to all Florida families could meaningfully threaten funding for public schools. Spar fears universal vouchers "will literally siphon money away" from public schools because it's all under the same education budget.

☆ A publisher removed references to Rosa Parks' race in a draft of its textbook to comply with Florida's laws, NYT reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A publisher removed references to Rosa Parks' race in a draft of a Florida textbook. Studies Weekly changed the language to comply with the Stop Woke Act, The New York Times reported. The publisher told the Times that it withdrew from the state's review. DeSantis signed into law the Stop Woke Act and the Don't Say Gay Act in 2022. The FDOE has also amended the Stop Woke Act to ban critical race theory from being taught in schools.

☆ Florida's new education bill would force state colleges to shut down diversity programs and remove some majors entirely
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida's new bill would force state colleges to shut down diversity programs and some majors. The bill is the latest effort from Florida GOP to restrict statewide education. If passed, the bill would force state colleges to remove "from its programs any major or minor in Critical Race Theory, Gender Studies, or Intersectionality, or any derivative major or minor of these belief systems." Universities would also be prohibited from funding or supporting any "programs or campus activities" that "espouse diversity, equity, and inclusion or Critical Race Theory," the bill says. Ron DeSantis' recent budget, which he calls the 'Framework for Freedom," would block state universities from using funding to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

☆ Dozens of civil rights groups are demanding the company that runs AP classes stand up to Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

30 civil rights groups demanded the College Board stand up to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The College Board is facing criticism over the rollout of the AP African American studies course. Ron DeSantis after the botched rollout of the company's AP African American Studies course. DeSantis initially rejected the AP African American Studies course in January. But according to reporting from The New York Times, the College Board had repeated contact with DeSantis' administration to discuss the AP African American Studies' course curriculum.

☆ New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy expands AP African American studies course in the state and blasts Ron DeSantis: 'Enough already of all this nonsense coming out of Florida'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Phil Murphy is expanding the AP African American Studies course in New Jersey for 2023-24. Ron DeSantis' criticism of the AP course curriculum. Ron DeSantis of Florida's campaign against the curriculum of the course as "nonsense," according to The New York Times. The AP course, currently in its pilot stage nationwide, is being taught at one New Jersey high school out of 60 nationwide. Ron DeSantis in Florida.

☆ The College Board claps back at DeSantis, calling Florida's reasoning for banning AP African American studies 'slander'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The College Board clapped back on Saturday, defending the course. Instead, the College Board said the administration has leaned into spreading misinformation: "We need to clear the air and set the record straight." The College Board maintained that the course framework was just an outline for the pilot course. The organization also slammed the administration for taking credit for changes that the College Board made to the course and said that there have not been any negotiations between the College Board and the FDOE. "The College Board condemns this uninformed caricature of African American Studies and the harm it does to scholars and students," the statement continues.

☆ Learning about the Black Lives Matter movement will now be optional in a new AP Black history class after Florida Gov. DeSantis publicly rejected the course
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The College Board released its new framework for its AP African American Studies course Wednesday. The course makes topics like Black Lives Matter, reparations, and queer studies optional for students to learn. But much of its modern content — like Black Lives Matter, affirmative action, Black queer studies, and reparations — has been both watered down and labeled as optional for a required research project. Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of black history is queer theory?

☆ U.S. African American studies does not include material targeted by Florida governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - An African American studies course for U.S. high school students that was released on Wednesday does not include material that Florida's conservative governor said pushed a liberal agenda, the latest development in a fierce debate about politics, education and censorship. Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of Harvard University's Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, was among scholars who praised the curriculum in the College Board statement. On Tuesday, more than 200 African American studies faculty members from dozens of universities published an open letter defending the course and expressing their "outrage at the efforts of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to delegitimize the AP's pilot curriculum in African American Studies." "We categorically reject DeSantis's autocratic claim to knowing what college-level material should be available in an AP African American Studies course." DeSantis and other Florida officials accused the lessons of being "indoctrination" for including Black queer studies, Black Lives Matter, reparations, and the abolishment of prisons.

☆ Trump's return to social media could help him reach more people, but that could actually hurt him by highlighting his volatility — especially compared to a more composed Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump will soon be allowed on all the major social media platforms he was previously banned from. It's still unclear if Trump will return to Facebook or Twitter, but his use of social media has always been polarizing, even among his own supporters. Unlike Trump, DeSantis is rarely, if ever, making headlines for something he wrote on Twitter. He's not unpredictable on social media and large swaths of his supporters are not calling for him to put down his phone. Essentially, DeSantis has tapped into the same exact grievances as Trump but does so through policies instead of constant tweeting.

☆ I'm a Florida teacher who's been forced to cover up the books in my classroom. Here's why I'm suing Ron DeSantis.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This year, a new law in Florida requires that all books in public schools be vetted for children. High school social studies teacher Don Falls said he covered up his books to comply with the law. The district recently began implementing a new Florida law requiring all books in a public school to be vetted by a trained media specialist. Many teachers, including Falls, chose to cover un-vetted books in their classrooms rather than remove them. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis openly said in his swearing-in inauguration that this is the state where woke goes to die.

☆ Democratic Govs. Newsom, Pritzker push back on DeSantis after Florida blocks AP African American studies course
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Ron DeSantis after his administration blocked the teaching of an Advanced Placement course on African American studies. J.B. Pritzker is urging the College Board not to appease DeSantis, a likely 2024 Republican presidential candidate, and alter the course curriculum. DeSantis’ administration rejected the AP African American studies program in a letter this month to the College Board, which oversees AP classes. Pritzker meanwhile said that Illinois expects any AP course focused on African American studies "to include a factual accounting of history, including the role played by black queer Americans." The College Board said Tuesday it would release a new framework for the AP course, which it said has been under development since March.

☆ Florida wants its strict race and gender law to influence how an AP class on Black history is taught nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The College Board announced Tuesday that it would be reworking its AP African American Studies course. Florida's education department said it "expects" the College Board to change the course nationwide to reflect Florida's law. Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of black history is queer theory? The AP African American Studies course will be offered nationwide and was previously piloted at 60 high schools.

☆ Ben Crump plans to sue DeSantis over rejection of AP African American studies course
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump is expected to announce Wednesday that he intends to sue Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his administration's decision to block a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being taught in high schools. DeSantis' administration rejected the AP's African American studies program in a letter this month to the College Board, which oversees AP classes. On Tuesday, The College Board said it would release a new framework for the AP course, which it said has been under development since March. “We are glad the College Board has recognized that the originally submitted course curriculum is problematic, and we are encouraged to see the College Board express a willingness to amend,” Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesperson for the agency, said in a statement.

☆ AP African American Studies course rejected by Florida to be revised, College Board says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The College Board said Tuesday it would release a new framework for the Advanced Placement course in African American Studies that the administration of Gov. “The official course framework incorporates this feedback and defines what students will encounter on the AP Exam for college credit and placement,” the College Board said Tuesday. "We are glad the College Board has recognized that the originally submitted course curriculum is problematic, and we are encouraged to see the College Board express a willingness to amend," Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesperson for the agency, said in a statement. Lanfranconi said he expected the removal of content about topics "that violate our laws," including critical race theory, Black queer studies and intersectionality. The White House last week criticized DeSantis' opposition to the AP course, calling it "incomprehensible."

☆ Here's the AP African American Studies course Florida rejected
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

For months, the Florida Education Department and the College Board have been at loggerheads over instituting a proposed Advanced Placement African American studies course for high school students. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. discussed the issue publicly for the first time at a news conference Monday. They argue that the course is a Trojan horse for "indoctrinating" students with a left-wing ideology under the guise of teaching about the Black experience and African American history (which is mandated in the state). In a statement last week, the College Board said the course was "undergoing a rigorous, multi-year pilot phase, collecting feedback from teachers, students, scholars and policymakers." Read through the curriculum that Florida has rejected below.

☆ The DeSantis administration's ban on AP African American studies 'is eroding traditional public education' in Florida, state school board member says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"It just feels like there's an erosion of democracy," a school board member told Insider. Ron DeSantis' administration banned the teaching of Advanced Placement African American Studies classes in Florida schools this week. Hillsborough County School Board member Jessica Vaughn, who represents District 3 in Tampa, told Insider the decision made her feel "extremely upset and horrified, but not surprised." I mean, aside from the erosion of traditional public education, it just feels like there's an erosion of democracy," Vaughn told Insider. DeSantis' office, the College Board, and the Florida Department of Education did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Florida Bars AP African-American Studies Course From Public Schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis has barred an Advanced Placement class on African-American studies from the state’s public schools. Florida won’t allow an Advanced Placement class on African-American studies to be taught in the state’s public schools, the state education department said. The Florida Department of Education said the course, which teaches about African-American contributions to society, contradicted Florida law and lacked educational value. The course is being offered this academic year in 60 schools across the U.S., according to the College Board, the organization that created the course.

☆ Florida blocks high school AP African American studies class
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis’ administration has blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being taught in high schools, saying it violates state law and is historically inaccurate. The state education department rejected the program in a letter last week to the College Board, which oversees AP classes. The College Board website describes the course as interdisciplinary, touching on literature, arts, humanities, political science, geography and science. Sharon Courtney, a high school teacher in Peekskill, New York teaching the African American studies course, said her students were “shocked” to learn Florida blocked the class. She described it as a factual African history course that also details what Africans experienced upon their arrival in North America.

☆ Florida schools will not offer AP African American Studies course
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Florida will not allow high school students to take a new Advanced Placement (AP) class in African American Studies, saying in a letter to College Board, the nonprofit that develops the courses, that the pilot version "lacks educational value." The College Board administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement tests that help students gain college credit while in high school. It is developing its first African American Studies course through a pilot program at 60 high schools. loading"The State of Florida will allow AP European and American studies — but AP African-American studies is 'contrary to Florida law'?" The College Board said in a statement to Reuters that the course aims to "explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans."

"And I feel like us being mostly Hispanic, mostly African American students, mostly Caribbean students, we don't get to learn a lot about our cultures and the ways that we were thriving. Shannah Henderson speaks to a student during Brooklyn Preparatory High School's AP African American studies course in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Wednesday. Henderson said Trevor Packer, the senior vice president and the head of the AP Program and the instruction division, responded. She said that because she doesn't have a degree in African American studies, she was also required to take online courses at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. AP African American Studies is multidisciplinary, drawing from literature, the arts and humanities, political science, geography and science.

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