December 6, 2023

"The latest version of the College Board’s A.P. African American studies framework... leaves out critical race theory and structural racism...."

"L.G.B.T.Q. issues continue to be mostly absent, except to mention that the civil rights leader Bayard Rustin was gay. And despite the course’s origins around the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, study of the movement is optional. The curriculum does mention 'systemic oppression' and 'systemic marginalization,' ideas closely related to critical race theory and structural racism — terms that have been banned from classrooms in many states. Those concepts have origins in legal theory, and refer to the idea that racism is embedded in the legal system, education system and other institutions..... The course has been subjected to repeated revisions, tense political negotiations and scrutiny from scholars.... Traditionally, A.P. courses culminate in timed tests, graded 1 to 5, in which students have had to earn 3 or better to qualify for college credit, regardless of their class performance. But given deep disparities in how low-income, Black and Hispanic students perform on those tests, the Board is increasingly experimenting with classes that culminate in projects or presentations...."

29 comments:

n.n said...

Critical Racists' Theory, transgender spectrum constructs, some, select [black] lives matter, and diversity, equity, and exclusion (e.g. racism) are progressive issues in liberal jurisdictions.

Enlighten-NewJersey said...

"But given deep disparities in how low-income, Black and Hispanic students perform on those tests" let's just skip wasting their time and the school's resources on the course and just give them the college credit for African American studies based upon their "lived experience".

Kevin said...

But given deep disparities in how low-income, Black and Hispanic students perform on those tests, the Board is increasingly experimenting with classes that culminate in projects or presentations...

Does the course cover the soft bigotry of low expectations?

Or is the structural racism in the course design left as an exercise?

rehajm said...

...so is this a career path now? Starts in high school?

So fucked...

Joe Smith said...

The fact that there is a curriculum of African American studies should be disturbing.

Static Ping said...

The point of the AP tests is to verify that the student has sufficient mastery of the subject material that he or she would pass the equivalent college course without need to take the college course. Why take the course and, for that matter, pay for the credits if you already completed the requirements?

If the AP tests are a poor measure of mastery of the subject material, then either the tests need to be revised or replaced with something that actually works. The problem is the AP tests have been used for decades and they do a very good job of measuring the level of mastery. The argument that certain segments of the population do poorly on the test is irrelevant. If they have not mastered the material, putting them in an advanced class when they have not mastered the basics is just setting up the students for failure. I suppose that is less important in this day and age of grade inflation and especially with a subject like African-American studies which is of questionable rigor and future economic use, but then we get into a discussion whether higher education actually provides added value which is an existential question.

The idea of introducing projects and presentations in lieu of a test is simply an effort to make success or failure in the AP course more subjective, which is again an existential question. If you pass students that should not have passed, why should the school of higher education accept your AP course results at all? And if colleges and universities refuse to accept AP results, why take AP courses?

Conrad said...

Whenever someone complains that there are too few blacks in STEM fields, or in law firms, or in upper management positions in businesses, etc., think of how many more might have pursued those kinds of careers if they hadn't instead chosen or been pushed into Black Studies as a major.

Owen said...

Does the course now adequately reflect the profound intellectual vacuity of the subject matter? That's important to maintain and highlight for students who are going into the field of community organizing and grievance mongering.

ga6 said...

"he Board is increasingly experimenting with classes that culminate in projects or presentations..."

Show and tell?
Art paper folding?

n.n said...

The story of 1-2 diversity taxonomy and citizenship normalized through liberal license and progressive policies of institutional racism, sexism, etc. That said, Musk is African-American, a person of color (i.e. not albino), and a survivor of the genocide and constitutional apartheid in his native nation's post-colonial fervor.

gspencer said...

". . .the Board is increasingly experimenting with classes that culminate in projects or presentations...."

Meaning blacks can't be marked wrong because there is no right/wrong answer to projects and presentations.

The lefty world just can't bring itself to admit that there are differences in the races.

Michael K said...

What a shame to do this to kids who already are damaged by lousy schools.

Bunkypotatohead said...

So is the gist of this that blacks do just as poorly at "black studies" as they do on any other subject?

And what red blooded Hispanic would give a ratsass about black culture?

narciso said...

Desantis and rufo were right, and needless to say kamala was wrong

Joe Bar said...

"The latest version of the College Board’s A.P. African American studies framework... leaves out critical race theory and structural racism...."

Maybe, because they don't exist.

Aggie said...

Ibrahim X. Kendi hardest hit. Henry Rogers is exploring options.

madAsHell said...

College Board’s A.P. African American studies framework... leaves out critical race theory and structural racism....

This sure seems like a step forward.

rhhardin said...

Chemistry handbook leaves out phlogiston.

Marcus Bressler said...

Why teach fairy tales such as systemic racism? Might as well teach that someone's sex is best determined by a teacher in the child's early years.

MarcusB. THEOLDMAN

n.n said...

Diversity (i.e. color judgment, class bigotry) and other progressive religions doctrines of equity and exclusion.

n.n said...

They're probably thinking of the liberal laws of post-colonial South Africa, which established diversity, redistributive change, and human rites under a progressive constitution.

Tina Trent said...

Gluestick time for rising academic stars.

Enigma said...

Schools need to decide whether they prioritize science or religion. Most European and US schools went through a major transition about 150 years ago with the rise of applied physics and chemistry (engineering), biology / Darwinism, and early (non-left wing) forms of psychology/sociology. They chose to push 1,500 years of Christian school teachings into smaller religion programs and out of the core curriculum. This was because they needed many new people to design and build steel mills, mining equipment, trains, bridges, canals, cars, telegraphs, lightbulbs, phonographs, cameras, surgical treatments, etc.

Traditional Christian teachings had nothing to say about technology. Some new 19th century religions incorporated contemporary science and "new revelations" as they struggled to stay relevant, but this was a losing battle because the science of the era quickly grew obsolete (e.g., Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists, etc.), and religious standards once again froze in time.

At the site below Harvard showcases the African-American tradition of Hoodoo -- black magic -- as a religion.

https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/magic-matters/2021/11/10

I have no problems with Christianity, Judaism, Hoodoo, Islam, etc. taught as religion or history. The problem here is that DEI practitioners and state schools lack the self-awareness to understand they are working with religion, and that religion, compassion, and cultural histories do not have much utilitarian cultural application. If people want a comfortable and/or luxurious lifestyle then utility must prevail. .

There'd be far, far more return on investment by splitting the DEI, ethnic studies, and religion programs off to voluntary secondary training (i.e., Sunday School) and requiring that 100% of college students to focus on simple math, writing, critical thinking, and debating.

Todd said...

You are NOT allowed to fear that future point in time when you or your loved one is being treated by a doctor that got their degree via "projects and presentations" and not the antiquated notion of actually passing a test.

The Crack Emcee said...

Joe Smith said...

"The fact that there is a curriculum of African American studies should be disturbing."

In a country that got us from somewhere else, forced us to slave for a centuries - and then set us free without support for another century - before finally starting to come to terms with us? You're right:

We should be studying y'all.

mikee said...

Any study of BLM must conclude with the leadership's purchase of real estate with their donated funds. And that isn't very consistent with the idea of the movement as anything other than the giant scam that it was. Perhaps the study of BLM should go under Criminology, not AA Studies.

Rusty said...

About 75 years, Crack. Before that your ancestors(I'm being generous) were slaves of British subjects. Who themselves were latecomers to the slave trade. The French dealt in slaves longer than the British.

Pillage Idiot said...

Blogger rhhardin said...

Chemistry handbook leaves out phlogiston.


My AP Chemistry textbook actually discussed phlogistion ... as an example that the "scientific consensus" is NOT actually science.

Of course, that was a long time ago. Consensus is now the gold standard of science on highly politicized topics like global warming, mRNA vaccines, etc.

All of the smartest people that managed a "D" in their Rocks for Jocks college science requirement tell me so!

Ironclad said...

One phrase sums this up - “Easy A”