by Reagan Reese
The Arkansas Department of Education is investigating an Advanced Placement (AP) pilot course dedicated to African American studies for possible Critical Race Theory (CRT) content, according to The Associated Press.
Arkansas Education Secretary Jacob Oliva asked five school districts Monday to send in their course materials for the AP African American course, drafted by the College Board, an academic organization that administers and writes high school courses for college credit, so the state may evaluate whether the course complies with its CRT ban, according to the AP. Prior to the investigation, the five school districts announced that they would continue to teach the course despite the state saying that the course was not approved and would not count towards college credit.
The course previously came under fire in Florida after the state Department of Education rejected the course for containing topics such as queer theory. The College Board revised the course in April after several governors argued over whether the content was appropriate or not.
“Given some of the themes included in the pilot, including ‘intersections of identity’ and ‘resistance and resilience’ the Department is concerned the pilot may not comply with Arkansas law, which does not permit teaching that would indoctrinate students with ideologies, such as Critical Race Theory,” Oliva wrote in the letter, according to the AP.
In January, Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order banning the teaching of CRT throughout the state. The order banned schools and employees from conducting mandatory CRT trainings and orientations.
CRT holds that America is fundamentally racist, yet it teaches people to view every social interaction and person in terms of race. Its adherents pursue “antiracism” through the end of merit, objective truth and the adoption of race-based policies.
Oliva asked the districts to send syllabi, textbooks and training materials that correspond with the course by Sept. 8, the AP reported. The curriculum has yet to be vetted by the state because it is a pilot course, Olivia said in the letter.
The College Board did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Reagan Reese is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
