The Carlisle Area School Board could vote Thursday on launching a pilot course next school year on Advanced Placement African-American Studies.
The interdisciplinary course would be offered as an elective to one or two sections of juniors and seniors at Carlisle High School, said Kevin Wagner, social studies program supervisor.
Designed by the College Board, the course examines the diversity of African-American experiences through literature, the arts and humanities, political science, geography and science, according to Wagner.
Over the course of four units, the students would explore such topics as early African kingdoms, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the abolitionist movement, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary issues of identity, culture and connection.
Examples of study include a review of artifacts from the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American history and culture; class discussions on the writings of Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and Maya Angelou; and an analysis of data on the demographic diversity of Black communities as compiled by the Pew Research Center.
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The course culminates in a research paper that would allow each student to explore any topic, theme, issue or development in the field of African-American studies.
The education committee reviewed the course proposal last week. It has been past board practice to approve a course as a pilot for an academic year before considering it again as a permanent part of the curriculum.
“We’re hopeful that this course gives students another option to better understand national and global history from a new perspective,” Assistant Superintendent Michael Gogoj said. “This course responds directly to our student input and feedback.”
During a recent exploratory session, African-American studies generated more interest among Carlisle students than any other AP course being offered by the district, Gogoj said. “That speaks to our students’ desire to learn important topics in an academic and safe space, to discuss not only facts, but concepts and ideas as well.”
“Over the past two years, the social studies department has taken a hard look at what we call the missing voices within our curriculum,” Wagner said. “When we see students who have a reflection of themselves in the study of history, they are likely to be more engaged in their studies.
“Carlisle itself is a diverse town,” Wagner said, adding that about 11% of its high school students identify themselves as African-American with many more identifying as having a mixed-race background.
“Everything has a history — gender, race, religion, social class — and the list goes on,” Wagner said. “If our students don’t understand these histories, including the conflicts and the divisions, they will not understand the complex world that we now live in.”
Student latitude
It is only by understanding history and looking at grievous errors that society can grow and improve itself, board member David Miller said. While he agreed with the objective and content of the course, he had concerns about the potential for divisiveness in giving students broad latitude in the selection of topics for the research paper.
“If you were approached by a student who wants to present a topic that may be racially divisive, how would you handle those types of requests?” Miller asked, citing white privilege or unconscious bias as examples.
Wagner said that allowing such latitude is a necessary step in educating students. “We have to be in a place where we’re able to have courageous conversations about tough subjects while knowing what the boundaries are to have that civil discourse,” he told Miller. “There may be others who disagree, but these are issues that students should be able to explore if they feel that is something that is very important for them to understand.”
But Miller was still concerned. “That opens the doors to other courses where student presentations could go in many directions,” he said. “That’s a question mark for me.”
Wagner said he has seen a similar situation as students research topics for the annual National History Day program.
“A lot of students want to do something with a LGBTQ+ focus,” he told Miller. “That has raised some ire among the private schools and our nonbrick-and-mortar schools.”
The state organizer of National History Day has said that since the program is student-driven, schools should not put up roadblocks to students initiating a want or desire to explore a particular topic, Wagner said.
“I understand that,” Miller said. “I just see it as a potential slippery slope, not just for this course, but if we adopt that kind of model where we don’t put any limitations on what a student could present. I would think there would have to be a line at some point.”
Committee chair Anne Lauritzen said teachers are already aware of where the community draws the line. “They are good about going to someone like an administrator who could help guide them through that type of situation,” she said.
The Advanced Placement course on African American studies that has been rejected by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is being tested at 60 schools around the country.
Joseph Cress is a reporter for The Sentinel covering education and history. You can reach him at jcress@cumberlink.com or by calling 717-218-0022.
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