Georgia superintendent confirms public funding can be used for AP African American Studies course

Georgia Schools Superintendent Richard Woods said Wednesday that public funds would be used for the Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course in state schools, after weeks of confusion.  

After confirmation from the state’s attorney general’s office, Woods said, “It has been determined that this law shall not restrict local school systems from adopting any AP, IB, or dual enrollment course. Each such course will be exempted from the provisions of the divisive concepts legislation, so long as these courses are implemented ‘in a professionally and academically appropriate manner and without espousing personal political beliefs.’” 

“As I have said, I will follow the law. In compliance with this opinion, the AP African American Studies course will be added to the state-funded course catalog effective immediately,” he added.

Woods’s concern the class would go against the state’s divisive concepts legislation did not line up with the exemption that was made for concepts that are covered in AP courses.  

The state superintendent said he was blocking the approval of the AP course in July, with some schools canceling their plans to have the class and others planning to ignore the state and teach the topics anyway. 

The debacle comes as numerous Republican-led states have debated whether the material in the AP African American Studies course is appropriate for their schools.

The debate came to a head last year when the College Board, which runs the course, changed the material numerous times and got into a back and forth with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) over what should be taught in the class.  

So far, Florida and Arkansas have completed nixed the course.