Vice: “The organization that sets Advanced Placement curricula came out swinging at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying in a statement published Saturday that the state’s Department of Education ‘slandered’ its AP African-American Studies course, and accusing the DeSantis administration of lying about its communications with the College Board.

“The College Board also disputed that it had diluted the course and made contemporary topics like Black Lives Matter and reparations optional only after the Florida governor said the class would be banned from being taught in Florida schools….

“’We deeply regret not immediately denouncing the Florida Department of Education’s slander, magnified by the DeSantis administration’s subsequent comments, that African American Studies ‘lacks educational value,’ said the statement, which is only attributed to the College Board. ‘Our failure to raise our voice betrayed Black scholars everywhere and those who have long toiled to build this remarkable field…

“’While it has been claimed that the College Board was in frequent dialogue with Florida about the content of AP African American Studies, this is a false and politically motivated charge,’ the College Board said. ‘We had no negotiations about the content of this course with Florida or any other state, nor did we receive any requests, suggestions, or feedback…’

“The College Board claimed that it repeatedly pushed the state Department of Education to detail specific feedback and concerns with the course, to no avail. ‘We have made the mistake of treating FDOE with the courtesy we always accord to an education agency, but they have instead exploited this courtesy for their political agenda,’ the group wrote. ‘After each written or verbal exchange with them, as a matter of professional protocol, we politely thanked them for their feedback and contributions, although they had given none.’”