• by Morgan Craven, J.D. • IDRA Federal Education Policy Update • August 15, 2024
IDRA and partner organizations worked in 2022 to oppose Georgia’s House Bill 1084, a bill that sought to censor classroom discussions and limit educator training about several topics deemed “divisive,” specifically certain topics focused on race, racism, and discrimination.
Before the bill passed, students, teachers, parents and other advocates warned Georgia lawmakers about the many negative impacts of the legislation, including the effect it could have on students’ ability to access Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
Though exceptions for AP courses were ultimately added to the bill, many feared that because the law – and those like it that had passed in states across the country – was so vague, it would be interpreted in ways that unlawfully restricted access to important materials and learning opportunities.
And those restrictions would specifically target and limit access to curricula about communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
That is exactly what happened recently in Georgia. Georgia State Superintendent Richard Woods announced he would not recommend the AP African American Studies course for approval and state funding, claiming that he believed certain lessons within the course violated HB 1084.
However, following robust pushback from many advocates across Georgia, targeted questions from Governor Brian Kemp, and intervention from state legislators, the Superintendent reversed course. In a statement, he acknowledged the prohibitions in HB 1084 should not impact AP African American Studies or its adoption into the state-approved course catalog – a fact that is clear from a plain reading of the law and confirmed by the state Attorney General.
Federal, state and local policies that limit information or attempt to censor curricula and instruction harm student learning and success. They can threaten access to both advanced courses (like AP, international baccalaureate and dual credit courses) and, importantly, to all other classes that should also have the high level of academic rigor and quality instruction that students need to be successful in college, career and life.
This weakened coursework leaves students struggling to connect their learning to their personal identities and their communities. It also leaves them less prepared to engage with diverse peers, access college, find success in a variety of challenging careers and participate fully in our society.
Indeed, the U.S. Department of Education has identified expanding access to rigorous coursework as a key part of ensuring all students thrive academically, and as part of its work to protect students’ civil rights in schools. Federal legislation like the Advanced Coursework Equity Act (HR 6328 / S 3279), would help to target resources and supports to school districts to adopt strategies to ensure that expanded access.
At every level, we urge education leaders to invest in policies that expand access to rigorous, high-quality coursework, which necessarily includes curricula about the diverse communities that have shaped and strengthened our country.
For more information about our work on AP African American Studies in Georgia see our statement here. And, for free teacher resources including lesson plans and other learning materials, visit the IDRA SEEN School Resource Hub.
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