Loss of AP African American history class a blow to Harford

You have reported that Harford County schools will not offer Advanced Placement African American Studies after a majority of school board members voted to eliminate that course because they consider it divisive and political (“Harford schools wrong to reject AP African American studies,” June 30). I hope these board members have enough insight to see that they are exactly what they choose to avoid by not offering the course. They are being political and divisive while claiming they are protecting high school students from politics and divisiveness. A classroom is a place for discussion and debate. I am sure by high school age, students, especially the ones who choose to do AP courses, have learned to deal with controversies. And with a good teacher at the head of the class, they can sort out the negatives and the positives of their courses through robust arguments. The Harford board would stifle a cross-pollination of ideas in the classrooms, disrespecting the intelligence of students, both white and minority, and the wisdom of their teachers who would be able to navigate them between the Scylla of racial divisions and Charybdis of racial politics. They’ve made a dictatorial decision to scrap this important course...