Thread by @michaelharriot

Theyhe SC Dept. of Education canceled AP African American Studies, @thegrio spoke with teachers, school administrators & superintendents to find out why SC essentially canceled the ONLY accredited HS course in Black History.

THey all had the same answer.

A thread.

FIRST we must acknowledge that SC is central to ANY study of Black Americans.

Scholars estimate that 40% of America's race-based human trafficking cargo disembarked in the "slave capital of the new world."

SC's Negro Act of 1740 was the template for all state's slave codes, including literacy bans. And, because it was classified as PROPERTY LAW, the individual states would later decide that slave codes didn't violate constitutional rights.

calendar.eji.org/racial-injusti…

After the Civil War, the Unamerican secessionist states had to submit a Constitution (remember, they weren't part of America anymore). SC was ~60% Black, so its majority Black constitutional delegation created free compulsory, state-funded education FOR ALL.

Some states' legislatures (like Mass) GUARANTEED public education. But they sometimes "drove out" Black citizens from their towns. No state had constitutionally mandated EQUAL education.

Black people in SC CREATED the American education system as we know it.

Here's where it gets interesting.

In his opening remarks at that constitutional convention, SC's white governor admitted that he knew what Black people wanted more than anything else.

Education.

Remember, Southern racists believed that GOD made Black people inferior. So the Black Founding Fathers's constitution BANNED SC's schools from teaching these so-called "Christian" pro-white "sectarian principles."

THEY PUT IT IN THE CONSTITUTION.

After emancipation, Black attendance rates in the South were higher than white attendance.

We talk about the KKK targeting Black voters, Black-owned businesses & churches during Reconstruction. But Black schools were the MOST COMMON target of those racial terrorists

There is not a moment in history where Black people didn't value education. But, as you can see, SC has always led the effort to stop Back people from educating themselves.

And they always failed.

Remember, Brown v. Board of Education BEGAN in SC.

thegrio.com/2024/05/17/eve…

SC tried to pass an anti-CRT laws WAY before Florida did. But they couldn't.

Conservative Republicans eventually copy and pasted pro-white activist Christopher Rufo's six principles that define CRT into its 2023-2024 budget, promising to DEFUND schools that taught CRT

But because AP Black Studies doesn't actually do any of these things, SC let ONE school participate in the College Board's AP Black History program that was offered to 60 schools nationwide.

Here's that class:

Shortly after this pilot program was approved, a group of white conservative parents took over the school board and ousted the superintendent

Before you say "That's why it is important to vote," the Moms 4 Liberty candidate only needed 24% of the vote

thegrio.com/2023/05/18/sou…

After a year, the program expanded to 700 schools.

In SC, students need 3 social studies credits class to graduate from high school - 1 history, one economics class, 1 govt class and one other SS class.

The social studies class must have a state-approved "code."

On June 4, the Dept of education removed the code for AP African American Studies. Schools can still offer the class, but it will essentially be an elective. Removing the code also means the individual schools or students must pay for the AP test & the materials

We checked the state course code and discovered that AP African American Studies was the ONLY Black history course that had a course code. Some schools have Black history classes as an ELECTIVE. Students can also take a "dual enrollment" COLLEGE course on Black history, OR...

They could take AP History
Or European History
Or Western Civilization,
Or AP Italian language and culture
REGULAR European history
Even Golf Course Technology

Not only did they cancel the AP course, South Carolina doesn't offer a single accredited course in Black History.

This affects students in MANY ways.

Take Mark Frazier for instance, a principal at a rural, 90% Black HS without a single AP course. He can't afford it bc school funding is based on attendance.

The white kids in his district attend a 95% white segregation academy

The funny thing is, the private white school isn't better. It doesn't have AP classes either. Frazier estimated AP classes would increase enrollment by ~75 students, which would increase funding & help ALL the kids

And he knows what he's talking about.

postandcourier.com/kingstree/news…

He didn't have the funds to introduce a FULL slate of AP classes, so which course would a 90% Black school invest in 1st?

Another superintendent pointed out that colleges consider schools with more AP-level classes to have a "more competitive academic environment."

Majority-Black schools are underfunded by about $1200 per student compared to white schools. About 60% of Black kids attend majority Black schools. This is why Black kids are less likely to have access to advanced-level courses.

We spoke to teachers, superintendents, principals and guidance counselors of all races in SC.

They dismissed the idea that the course was canceled because of "controversy."

It didn't break any laws.

It was not too similar to other courses.

It was not "untested."

They each concluded there was only one logical reason why the ONLY BLACK HISTORY COURSE in the state with the MOST Black history was not equal to the other class created by the SAME BODY.

Read it for yourself.

thegrio.com/2024/06/17/sou…