AP Black Studies Classes Back in Harford County
Harford County made the news this summer when the board of education there denied making permanent an AP African American studies course after a successful 2023-24 pilot program in three of the county’s high schools. The controversial discussion item was removed from two board agendas ahead of the June 24 meeting and announcement, an indication perhaps of the expected public backlash to the board’s move. In rejecting the course, the board pushed back on the curriculum, saying it “lacked positive narratives” and emphasized “a narrative of victimhood,” according to Maryland Matters.
The board voted 5-4 against the course, which was piloted nationally in over 700 schools last year. Extremist pro-book banning group Moms for Liberty was one of the outspoken voices in favor of the board’s action, referring to the content as “highly politicized.”
“The messages that we send to students matter. When we tell them that we want to empower them through learning about diverse and challenging subjects so they can be a part of building a better future, that sends a strongly positive message,” wrote then-President Cheryl Bost in an early July letter to the Harford County Board of Education.
“When we tell them that they can’t learn about people who look like them and can’t be trusted with understanding the complexity of our history, that sends a strongly negative message about our schools, our history, and our belief in the potential of the next generation. When we know better, we must do better.”
On July 15, the board met again for public comment, this time with 60 speakers lined up, including Harford County Education Association (HCEA) members and students. The course “has bridged the gap between Black and white, left and right, or right and wrong by creating a safe space for open dialogue, discussion and communication,” said senior Hayven Rowson.
For 46% of the students taking the course it marked their first time taking an AP course; this year it will be the first for about 39% of the more than 200 students who signed up this year.
“After the vote in June, we rallied with community groups, including the local NAACP, and packed the board room,” said HCEA President Chrystie Crawford-Smick. “There were so many people at the July 15 meeting that a local church opened their doors so folks could watch. Many signed up to call the board members out for their hypocrisy. After a couple hours of public comment, the Board voted and the curriculum was approved.
“It’s important to push back when an unjust decision is made. Our local boards must be held accountable for their decisions. Using our voice and collective power paid off, because when we fight, we win.”