News Roundup: Florida AP Course Review, Trump’s Co-Conspirators, and Election Denial

“Topic presents only one side of this issue.” The topic in question? A unit on the origins of the transatlantic slave trade, as revealed in records from Florida’s review of the AP African American Studies course.

Inquiriespress@americanoversight.org

“Topic presents only one side of this issue and does not offer any opposing viewpoints or other perspectives on the subject.” That comment, one of several uncovered in documents we obtained from the Florida Department of Education, was from the state’s review of the AP African American Studies course, which it rejected earlier this year.

The topic in question? A unit on the origins of the transatlantic slave trade, which the reviewer for the state’s education department flagged for making “no mention here of any role, if any, played by continental Africans.”

Regarding a discussion of how Europeans benefited from the slave trade, a reviewer noted that the topic “lacks insight to the global network of other countries or nations” and “may lead to a viewpoint of a ‘oppressor vs. oppressed’ based solely on race or identify.”
Slavery wasn’t the only topic reviewers felt were too “one-sided.” They criticized discussions of reasons for racial wealth disparities as potentially “promoting the critical race theory idea of reparations”; suggested that the word “enslavers” be changed to “owners” to be “more accurate to the written laws of the time”; and flagged topics that didn’t conform to right-wing ideas or that might violate the state’s numerous education restrictions. Read more about the documents here.

The Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times reported on those records this week, sparking coverage from MSNBC, Rolling Stone and other publications and giving renewed attention to how Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attacks on education threaten the health of an informed democracy by distorting facts and realities about our country’s history.

We obtained the internal comments through our lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education, which we filed earlier this year seeking documents that could provide insight into the DeSantis administration’s efforts to stifle vital historical and cultural learning.
Other records released in response to our litigation — reported on in July by the Washington Post — revealed the uncertainty and confusion among textbook companies struggling with a lack of clear guidance on how to apply the DeSantis administration’s restrictions on discussions or lessons about race and gender.

On the Records

Trump Indictments
On Thursday, former President Trump pleaded not guilty to charges that he conspired to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results, and asked that his case be severed from co-defendants who have sought a speedy trial.

Some of those who have asked for a speedy trial are Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, two of the 18 co-defendants in the Fulton County case. Both of them are also two of the six unindicted co-conspirators in the federal election case (three of the others being Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, and Jeffrey Clark).
The Georgia indictment also mentions 30 unindicted, unnamed co-conspirators who assisted in the effort to overturn Trump’s loss, and outlets like CNN and the Washington Post have reviewed clues to determine some of their identities.

Dozens of these co-conspirators and co-defendants have appeared in records unearthed my American Oversight in our investigations of the election denial movement, and this week we published a report on what we’ve learned about their democracy-undermining work, from the immediate post-election hunt for evidence of fraud to partisan election investigations and alleged voting machine breaches.

The report is similar to our recent compilation of communications from potential witnesses for Trump-allied lawyer and fake-electors plot architect John Eastman in his California disciplinary trial. Both reports tell the same story: Those active in Trump’s schemes to overturn the election didn’t cease their efforts after the fake-electors plot failed or even after Joe Biden took office. And those efforts are still alive today — here are some recent headlines related to the election denial movement:

Republicans want the next GOP president to curb election security agency that angered Trump (ABC News)
In court, Trump supporter faces election official he violently threatened (Washington Post)
Election conspiracists testify at disputed confirmation hearing for WEC administrator (Wisconsin Examiner)
Republicans target Wisconsin’s election chief for removal, fueled by falsehoods (New York Times)
Missouri AG Bailey joins shows hosted by Trump co-defendant in election conspiracy case (Kansas City Star)
Judge rules Giuliani defamed Georgia election workers, orders sanctions (Washington Post)
The overlooked but crucial election subversion ties between Colorado and Georgia (Colorado Newsline)
Group with ties to election denial pushes voter registration in Richmond (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

News Roundup: Florida AP Course Review, Trump’s Co-Conspirators, and Election Denial

On the Records

Other Stories We’re Following

Voting Rights

In the States

National News

LGBTQ Rights

Abortion and Reproductive Rights

Threats to Education

Government Transparency and Public Records Law

Immigration

Trump Accountability

Jan. 6 Investigations