BEVERLY HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Students across the state are preparing to return to the classroom this week, and for at least 20 high schools in our state, a new course stirring up controversy will be taught.
An African American studies course taught at high schools is a fairly new phenomenon, happening just in the past five years. The elective class has been gaining traction so much so, that an AP version will now be taught at select high schools in our state. Bit is it s positive step in the right direction, or an unnecessary separation that can lead to division?
African American history won't just be discussed for a few weeks in February but throughout the year, in rigourous detail, through an advanced placement course.
"It should have been there before," said student Ryan Patton.
Patton graduated from Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, three years ago. She took African American studies as an elective, with the course going beyond Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr., forever changing her perspective and putting everyday experiences into perspective.
"Raw full truth, undeniable truth," Patton said when I asked her what was taught in her African American studies class that wasn't taught in U.S. History. "It was something my dad would talk about but he wouldn’t say redlining they would say oh they had a wall between Grosse Pointe and the Eastside of Detroit... the police would question you if you would go on the other side.”
The new course, which could earn students college credit, starts with the black experience before slavery, starting with African kingdoms and ending with present-day successes and struggles.
"I think it's great, why not?" Martha said. "(It's) about time."
"Our history needs to be told," Angela said.
"It's long overdue," Darren said. "We should know all of our history, many cultures make up this beautiful country of ours.”
But many people disagree. Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas have all banned AP African American studies, and the George state Superintendent threatened to pull it's funding from the course.
"Why do you think there is an attack in some areas on this course," I asked Leenet Campbell-Williams.
"I think it is a lack of knowledge and understanding," Campbell Williams said.
Leenet Campbell-Williams is the Chief Education Officer at Detroit Public Schools Community District. Cass Tech was one of six schools to teach the program last year, and now four schools in the city are enrolled.
"We want them to have criticality to be able to look at things to see what’s missing in the history, what wasn’t told," she said.
Campbell Williams believes the course has the ability to eliminate bias and misinformation, which is why it's not just offered at schools with predominately black pupils, like schools in Holland, Michigan and St. Clair Shores.
"You have to come out of your comfort zone to be in your learning zone, then to understand.”
According to the state's website, the list of schools in the state that offers the class includes:
- Cass Tech High School, DPSCD
- Detroit Edison Public School Academy
- East English Village Prep Academy, DPSCD
- Ferndale High School, Ferndale Public School District
- Grand Ledge High School, Grand Ledge Public School District
- Hamtramck High School, Hamtramck Public School District
- Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
- Renaissance High School, DPSCD
- Groves High School, Beverly Hills, Birmingham Public School District
- South Lake High School, South Lake Schools
- University High School Academy, Southfield Public School District
- West Bloomfield High School, West Bloomfield School Districts
- East Kentwood High School, Kentwood Public Schools
- Carman Ainsworth High School, Carman-Ainsworth Communnity Schools
- Blakc River High School, Charter school in Holland Michigan
