Georgia’s state superintendent says a Black studies course can be taught, following a legal opinion from the state's Attorney General.
After stating the class violated Georgia’s ban on teaching divisive racial concepts, Superintendent Richard Woods said Wednesday that a letter from Attorney General Chris Carr, “completed the clarification process” for him. Woods had cited the law in refusing to recommend the course be added to the state's course catalog.
The fate of the AP African-American Studies class, which has been piloted in hundreds of schools across the country, has vexed Woods for several weeks.
In late July, Woods announced that the state would provide funding for local school districts to teach the class. Following inquiries from Democrats and from Republican Governor Brian Kemp, Woods backpedaled on that decision one day later. Last week, the superintendent stirred controversy again when he announced that the class might violate a recent state law that bans the teaching of so-called "divisive concepts" in Georgia classrooms.
But Woods says a letter from Attorney General Chris Carr has eased his concerns. The AP reports that a letter from Carr says that Advanced Placement courses are exempt from the law.
Woods also said that the African-American Studies course, along with all other AP courses will be automatically adopted, bypassing a possible vote on it from the state Board of Education.
One of the high schools teaching the AP African-American Studies course is Cedar Shoals High School in Clarke County. This year, that course saw one of the highest AP Exam pass rates in the county, at 85%.
