Sixty-seven years ago, nine black students entered Central High School with a purpose: to achieve equality. Last year, we entered those same halls with a similar purpose, striving to cement AP African American Studies as an official course.
A mere three days before the 2023 school year started, the Arkansas Department of Education removed AP African American Studies as a credit. Governor Sarah Sanders said in response to the course ban, “We cannot perpetuate a lie to our students and push propaganda and a leftist agenda, teaching our kids to hate America and hate one another.” Appalled by these statements, students, sitting in the very classrooms of the Little Rock Nine, took matters into their own hands after College Board did nothing to help them– ironic considering the course contains our school’s history. Students and teachers alike rallied, testified in court, and fought for their right to an accurate education throughout the school year, leading to the course officially returning to Central for the 2024 school year. News sources everywhere documented Central’s resolve, as students refused to let their history go unnoticed.
After continued student and teacher persistence, the state finally recognized the course this year. As a staff, we are proud of the student body’s resilience to making AP African American Studies here for good. For example, AP African American students along with the beautification club commemorated history and inspired students to come together in the future by painting a mural in Ms. Walls’s classroom (read more on page four.) This mural is a testament to how the course is uplifting students leaving a lasting impact on future generations to come– contrary to the “division” and “hate to one another” that the state was originally worried about.
Because of this conflict, we have learned the importance of always fighting for what we believe in. When we see injustice, we will use our voices to bring unity instead. The fight for the course stands as a testament to the influence of our voices in bringing students together to create change for the good.
