The Harford County School Board heard from hundreds of community people who were concerned about its decision to deny adding an Advanced Placement African American studies program to the district’s curriculum during a heated, two-hour hearing on Monday night.
The community was greatly outraged when the board first reached this contentious decision in June by a vote of 5 to 4. There were many people at the gathering. Numerous individuals who registered to speak were required to wait outside until their moment came.
This meeting’s public comment period lasted for two and a half hours, and at times it became intense.
“Black history is American history, period,” Aberdeen High School teacher Amber Mills asserted.
The Board of Educations decided not to include an advanced level African American studies course in the curriculum, which the district had piloted last school year and for which over 90 students had already signed up. This decision infuriated about 60 speakers who registered to voice their concerns.
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Members of the board heard from educators and pupils.
“The significance of this course is to urge students to dig deeper, and unfortunately, the more you dig in American history, the uglier it gets,” Edgewood High School student Kareem Wallace stated.
People from the community spoke out on both sides of the dispute as well. Many of them agreed with the five board members who abstained from the vote.
The board resolved to return the course subject to the meeting’s agenda. After hearing from everyone, the board can decide to hold another vote on the matter.
