The Georgia law at the center of the AP African American Studies controversy and its implications

August 30th, 2024

A group of teachers and advocates stand behind a podium at the Georgia State Capitol
Georgia teachers and advocates join Democratic state lawmakers to hold a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in response to the state School Superintendent’s decision to block an AP African American Studies course. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

Georgia Superintendent Richard Woods has now reversed course on a controversial decision to halt state funding for the Advanced Placement class in African American Studies, but the debacle has revealed important implications of the “divisive concepts” law.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the law, House Bill 1084, on April 28, 2022. It prevents schools from relying on materials advocating for “divisive concepts,” which include ideas that the U.S. “is fundamentally racist,” one race is “inherently or consciously racist” toward people of other races and people, by virtue of their race, “should feel anguish, guilt, or any other form of psychological distress.”

On July 23, 2024, Woods decided not to approve the AP African American Studies course for the state catalog and denied state funding for it.

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