Summary: <p><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/01/22/1150259944/florida-rejects-ap-class-african-american-studies"><span>In January</span></a><span>, Florida's Department of Education rejected an Advanced Placement course in African American studies. Governor Ron Desantis called the course curricula <a href="https://www.gainesville.com/story/opinion/2022/04/07/nathan-crabbe-gov-desantis-pushing-his-own-brand-indoctrination/9482939002/">"indoctrination." </a></span><span>This move is in line with the state’s </span><a href="https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/16/desantis-florida-stop-woke-act-challenged-universities-free-speech/7630033001/"><span>Stop Woke Act of 202</span></a><span>2, which assumes that Critical Race Theory is running rampant throughout </span><a href="https://www.flgov.com/2023/01/31/governor-desantis-elevates-civil-discourse-and-intellectual-freedom-in-higher-education/"><span>politics</span></a><span> and education, that programs focused on race and diversity are </span><a href="https://www.flgov.com/2023/01/31/governor-desantis-elevates-civil-discourse-and-intellectual-freedom-in-higher-education/"><span>discriminatory,</span></a> and that strictly<span> limits how topics like racism in American history can be discussed in Florida classrooms. </span></p> <p><span>We speak with<span> </span><a href="https://www.brown.edu/academics/sociology/people/john-b-diamond">John Diamond,</a><span> </span>Professor of Sociology and Education Policy at Brown University and author of<span> </span><a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/despite-the-best-intentions-9780195342727?cc=us&lang=en&"><span>“Despite the Best Intentions: How Inequality Thrives in Good Schools</span></a>," about the importance of Black studies.</span></p>
