Staff Reports
Ben Crump, an attorney, said Wednesday that he would sue Florida Governor Ron DeSantis if the state does not work with the College Board to add AP African American studies to the curriculum of public schools.
In a letter to the DeSantis administration, Craig Whisenhunt and Benjamin Crump, both of the law firm, warned that a lawsuit would be brought on behalf of three students from Florida who were denied an Advanced AP honors course due to its syllabus that included references to Critical Race Theory.
During a rally at the Florida State House, the attorney said that if the governor did not reach an agreement with the College Board, he would sue the state. He said that three young individuals would be the first plaintiffs in a lawsuit if the AP African American studies were not added to the curriculum in the state.
Benjamin was also a lawyer for the families of the individuals who were killed by George Zimmerman and Florida resident, George Martin.
Some of the prominent individuals who were reportedly at the event included Thompson, Jones, Driskell, Rayner, and Hart.
Alex Lanfranconi, a communications director for the Florida Department of Education, called the threat of a lawsuit against the state a meritless publicity stunt.
MEDIA ALERT: @AttorneyCrump & co-counsel will join students & elected officials to announce their intent to file a lawsuit against FL. Gov. DeSantis & the state of Florida for rejecting the AP African American Studies course from being taught in Florida high schools. pic.twitter.com/FIBHDrDtWI
— Ben Crump Law, PLLC (@BenCrumpLaw) January 25, 2023
"According to Craig, the effort by the governor would only affect a small portion of Florida's population. He stated that the governor's intention was to limit the content that could be presented in AP African American studies. It also doesn't speak to America's traditions of white supremacy. It's time for the governor to stop discriminating against the minorities in Florida."
The Florida Department of Education sent a letter to the College Board, stating that the course was not in line with the state's education values. It also noted that it violated the law, which limits the teaching of CRT in public schools. In response, Bryan Griffin, the governor's press secretary, said that DeSantis had supported the use of historical curriculums that accurately portrayed African-American history.
The students, who were denied the course, said that the administration's decision would have a negative impact on the education of Florida's students.
"According to student Juliet Heckman, taking AP courses has significantly improved her knowledge of the world. She also stated that the state's lawmakers should not be prevented from teaching the course. Heckman noted that the course would not be affected by the state's officials."
In response, Elijah Edwards said that he was disappointed that the governor did not approve the course. He noted that it would have provided him and other students with an opportunity to learn about their ancestors' origins. DeSantis' decision, he said, effectively censored the freedom of education in the state.
The College Board released a statement on Tuesday, saying that it would update the framework for AP Black Studies on February 1. The DOE, on the other hand, indicated that it would consider revising the course if it were to receive historically accurate content.
During the rally, Victoria McQueen, a student, stated that the lack of an AP course that focuses on the contributions of African-Americans to the country is further oppressing them.
The students and the various organizations that were involved in the controversy did not respond to the DCNF's request for comment.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Daily Caller.
