Ron DeSantis Versus The College Board

Diane Rehm: On My Mind

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🗓️ 16 February 2023

⏱️ 35 minutes

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Summary

Last month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his state would opt out of the new Advanced Placement class in African American studies. DeSantis claimed the class violated a Florida law that limits what a public school can teach about race and diversity.

He took this action in spite of the fact the College Board, which designs A.P. classes, seemingly altered the curriculum based on previous DeSantis criticisms.

The move is “dangerous,” according to Basil Smikle. Smikle is the director of the public policy program at Hunter College and expert on civil rights and education policy. He joined Diane on this week’s episode of On My Mind to explain why education finds itself yet again at the center of national politics.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, it's Diane. Join me for my next book club meeting on Wednesday, February 22nd at 1 p.m. Eastern.
0:11.2	I'll host a discussion of Kindred by Octavia Butler, a time travel story that explores the
0:19.8	savagery and legacy of slavery. Find out more and register at diannearn.org slash book club.
0:35.0	Hi, it's Diane. On my mind, an eight-piece black studies course collides with the political ambitions
0:44.0	of Ron Desantis. Last month, the Florida Governor announced his date would opt out of the new
0:53.1	advanced placement class. He said it violated the Florida law that limits what a public school
1:02.0	can teach about race and diversity. This, in spite of the fact that the college board had already
1:10.7	altered the curriculum based on Desantis criticisms. What the college board has essentially done
1:18.4	is aid in about the Mason presidential campaign of Ron Desantis.
1:23.6	That's all, Michael is director of the public policy program at Hunter College
1:30.4	and an expert on several rights and education policy. He joined me to discuss the connection
1:39.2	between education and politics and the 2024 election. That's all. Last month, Ron Desantis announced
1:51.2	that the AP African American studies course would not be taught in Florida. Givens the reasoning
2:00.9	he used behind that decision. His reasoning was that there were aspects of the course that he
2:09.0	felt were not in line with the state's academic standards and that were not relevant to other
2:22.7	coursework that students may take, whether they be other AP exams or other parts of the K-12
2:30.7	curriculum. He talked specifically, there was specific conversation about curriculum associated
2:37.6	intersectionality with respect to gender LGBTQ communities and how those communities
2:43.3	may be affected differently from public policies separate from white populations, particularly
2:48.4	white males. There were certain authors that were not included in the curriculum. But all in all,
2:56.3	the reality is that his view of education is devoid in my view of diversity and inclusive
3:07.6	activities such that it goes against what's occurred across the country in the last several decades.
	...

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