CHANGES ARE COMING TO AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE THAT'S FACED CRITICISM FROM FLORIDA GOVERNOR

By Kelly McCleary and Tina Burnside, CNN

The College Board is making changes to the framework of its Advanced Placement African American Studies course for high school students amid criticism from Florida's influential Republican governor and others who have accused the program of imposing a "political agenda."

The board, a non-profit that oversees AP coursework and administers the SAT college admissions test, didn't specify what would change about the course, saying details would be determined in the coming months.

"We are committed to providing an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture. To achieve that commitment, we must listen to the diversity of voices within the field," the board said Monday in a statement.

The announcement follows the board's engagement in a public spat with Gov. Ron DeSantis -- a potential front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination -- and Florida's Department of Education, which this year rejected a preliminary pilot version of the class, claiming it "lacks educational value" and violates a state law that bans the teaching of critical race theory.

Under DeSantis, who has used his fight against "wokeness" to boost his national profile amid a national discussion of how racism and history should be taught in schools, Florida has passed new legislation barring instruction that suggests anyone is privileged or oppressed based on their race or skin color.

In February, the board fired back, accusing Florida officials of "slander" and spreading misinformation for political gain. It also admitted making mistakes in the rollout of the course framework and said it should have immediately denounced the comments from DeSantis' administration.

"Our failure to raise our voice betrayed Black scholars everywhere and those who have long toiled to build this remarkable field," the board said in February.

The board nodded to the controversy in its statement Monday, saying, "In embarking on this effort, access was our driving principle -- both access to a discipline that has not been widely available to high school students, and access for as many of those students as possible. Regrettably, along the way those dual access goals have come into conflict."

A pilot version of the course is now being offered in 60 high schools and will expand to 800 schools and 16,000 students in the next school year, the board said. The first AP African American Studies exam is expected to be administered in the spring 2025, the board has said.

"Every day, there are more stories about how this course is opening minds and changing lives. Regardless of how many students take this course, each one of those students should have access to the full breadth and beauty of this discipline," the statement read.

The Florida Education Department has said it had concerns about six topics of study, such as the Movement for Black Lives, Black feminism and reparations. Many of the objections were tied to the inclusion of texts from modern Black thought leaders and history teachers, whose writings the DeSantis administration believes violate state laws, it said.

After Florida rejected the preliminary course framework, the College Board released the official framework for the course with many of the topics DeSantis objected to removed. Under the official framework, students could study those topics as part of a required research project.

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In celebration of its two year anniversary and its commitment to support authentic Black content and creators, Comcast NBCUniversal’s Black Experience on Xfinity today announced the winners of its $1 million in Emerging Black Filmaker grants.

Winners were selected for their ability to tell engaging and culturally relevant stories about the African, African American, or other Afro subcultural experiences or perspectives through a feature film, documentary, or web series, and were selected by an esteemed panel of diverse, entertainment-industry executives and thought leaders, including Gil Robertson, President of AAFCA; filmmaker, producer and author, Lyn Sisson-Talbert; and Yvette Milley, Executive Vice President, NBCU News Group and NBCU Academy. Winning submissions feature unique perspectives on the largest HBCU in America, the impact of Hip Hop legend, Kangol, and his group U.T.F.O., and a four-part series about how barbershops connect with Black

“The Black Experience on Xfinity has been a strong supporter and promoter of emerging Black content creators.

Filmmaker grants are one of the many ways we can leverage our platforms to amplify authentic stories and voices that need to be heard,” said Keesha Boyd, Vice President, Entertainment Emerging Products. “We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on these

10 talented fillmakers, as we continue to invest in and distribute original programming from emerging Black content creators and talent.”

“Xfinity's Black Experience Grant Program is a great way to support emerging filmmakers and provides them with a real-life taste of the movie making experience,” said Robertson.

“As a Critic, I was impressed with the depth of the finalists, who all demonstrate great promise as storytellers. The support given by Xfinity's Black Experience Grant Program is critical in creating a pathway for emerging filmmakers to move forward in their careers.” “It was my pleasure to help give new and emerging talent the opportunity to showcase their work on a large platform like Black Experience on Xfinity” said Sisson-Talbert. Black Experience on Xfinity offers one-stop access to a collection of content that showcase the breadth of Black culture. Available at home on Xfinity X1 and Flex, and on-the-go with the Xfinity Stream app, the Black Experience on Xfinity will entertain, educate, and uplift, featuring Black actors, writers, producers, and directors. It is home to the largest curated collection of Black Independent Films On Demand.

The Houston Rockets have hired former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka as their next head coach, making him the 15th head coach in franchise history, the team announced on Tuesday.

"We are excited to welcome Ime to the Houston Rockets," said Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone. "Ime’s intelligence, drive, and toughness were the traits we were looking for in a coach to lead our team through this next stage of our development as we strive to become a champion."

"We were honored to have the opportunity to speak to multiple outstanding candidates throughout the interview process and felt that Ime’s vision best aligned with the goals the Fertitta family and myself have for the future of the Rockets."

Udoka spent one season with the Celtics, leading them to the NBA Finals before losing to the Golden State Warriors 4-2 in the series. It was an awe-inspiring run for Boston, as they bounced back from a 36-36 record the previous season to 51 wins the next.

Houston did not extend the contract of former head coach Stephen Silas at the end of the season after he was only able to compile 59 wins in three seasons. He had coached the likes of LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Luka Doncic as a long-time NBA assistant coach and was looking forward to the opportunity to draw up plays for James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

All that changed when the Rockets traded Westbrook before the season and lost Harden in the same fashion two weeks into the season. That led to three consecutive losing seasons and ultimately cost Silas his job.

Houston interviewed a plethora of candidates before deciding to give Udoka a second chance at being a head coach. Boston suspended Udoka after