Education in Oklahoma may have a different look in the near future if a bill proposed by the state's Common Education Committee passes the full legislature.
During the committee's debate on House Bill 1380 this week, lawmakers questioned the legality of teaching Advanced Placement classes, which in lawmakers' eyes are similar to Common Core. The state repealed Common Core last year, KHQ reported.
Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, has asked the state Attorney General's Office for a ruling on whether A.P classes go against the Common Core repeal.
The bill, if passed, would remove state funding for specifically the A.P. U.S. history course, but according to The Tulsa World, an assessment could apply to all AP courses.
The bill's author, Rep. Dan Fisher, R- Yukon, also said A.P. U.S. history emphasizes "what is bad about America" and does not teach "American exceptionalism," The Tulsa World reported.
Not only does the bill target the funding for the class, House Bill 1380 spells out what should be taught; for example, The Gettysburg Address, "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine and the "Ballot or the Bullet" speech by Malcolm X, CNN discovered.
CNN reports the College Board, which provides the instruction for Advanced Placement classes, redesigned the class last year.
The College Board is the nonprofit, private corporation that administers the SAT exams. The courses allow high school students to earn college credit, but is not required for graduation and schools are not forced to offer the classes.
John Williamson, who represents The College Board, say the objections to the class are "mythology and not true" and that the board provides a frame for "thematic learning objectives" but teachers have leeway in how they get there, The Tulsa World Reported.
The bill passed the committee 11-4, split along party lines.
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