Colorado school district votes unanimously to offer AP African American Studies in Douglas County
Late Tuesday night, the Douglas County Board of Education voted 7-0 to approve the offering of Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies.
Last month the board's president delayed the decision saying she needed more time to consider questions raised about the course. It draws on history, literature, arts and science to study the contributions and experiences of African Americans in the United States. Overland High School in the Cherry Creek School District was one of the first schools in the country to pilot the course, which is now also offered in Denver Public Schools. It was created by the College Board, which administers AP tests.
DougCo school board members say the messages from families were in overwhelming support of offering the course.
Valarie Moses teaches English at Highlands Ranch High School and led the effort to approve the course for the district. She got the backing of 16 school principals in the district.
Moses says students came to her for support in bringing the course to their school. She said, "I knew how transformative studying that as an undergraduate for me had been, I was 100% behind trying to bring that to the high school classroom for them, so that's what started it."
The state of Florida has banned the course from its public schools.
Board members say some initial concerns from community members focused on making sure the course aligned with the Douglas County School District's equity policy, and that the course avoided critical race theory.
Moses said, "This really is just a class for everyone, it is not just for our students of color, this is a class that everyone can be enriched from and I think it just gives a richer picture of American studies in general."
The course covers centuries of Black history, from early African kingdoms to the political and social movements of the 20th century.
Board member Brad Geiger said, "I expect every parent who looks at this class will make a hard decision with their kid about whether it is appropriate for them. And I suspect lots of them will. And that will occur because a lot of parents stood up for it."