Charleston County Schools may Continue Offering African American Studies
A Decision to be Taken Soon
In Charleston County, South Carolina, there has been a critical development regarding educational changes. The Charleston County School District’s Board of Trustees has decided to vote shortly, indicating the potential continuation of providing African American Studies as part of their curriculum. The board is preparing to approve a locally designed African American Studies Elective Course during its ensuing meeting.
The Educational Debate
The state recently decided to exclude Advanced Placement African American Studies from its educational program. This move has resulted in schools seeking alternative ways to offer this essential curriculum to their students. The Charleston board’s proposal, if approved, will structure the African American Studies as an honors course, counting towards the students’ elective credits.
“It’s crucial for our students to participate in courses that enable them to learn about diversity and various cultures,” said Board Member Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson. She believes the removal of AP African American history presents a significant deficit in educational content while other history courses, such as AP European History and AP World History, remain untouched.
Curriculum Development and Structure
The proposed syllabus aims to explore history from the early African kingdoms to the present day, offering an in-depth understanding of African American history. Charleston County School History Teacher Jason Williams, who helped develop this curriculum, stated that this course would be an exceptional opportunity for students to bridge the gap between College Prep courses and the previously offered AP course.
“The proposed course really opens the doorway to build the complete puzzle around the historical context, making students see things through several different perspectives,” Williams stated.
Potential Outcome and Student Interest
A positive outcome for Charleston County School would mean that, despite the course not being official AP, students will still have the choice to take the AP exam. “The course has been designed using the AP model as our entry point,” said Chief Academic Officer Michelle Simmons. “We have ensured it will be rigorous enough so that if scholars express a desire to take the AP course, we will cover the cost for them to take that exam if they wish.”
Should the course receive approval, the specific teaching timeline remains undecided. Nonetheless, the local interest is optimistic, with 100 students expressing their interest in taking this course and 40 students at Academic Magnet already lined up for the fall semester.
Looking Forward
The Charleston County School District’s Board of Trustees is due for a final decision concerning the African American Studies course in its next full board meeting, which is rescheduled for August 22. This decision will influence the future education of many students while developing an inclusive educational environment.
