CNN Tonight host Laura Coates had a peculiar standard for what constitutes expertise as she welcomed African-American Studies Prof. Robert Patterson to the program to allege that “we know that white supremacy is a central part of American education,” which explains Florida’s opposition to the original AP course of the same subject.
Coates opened the floor to Patterson by asking why the class matters, “The governor, DeSantis, spoke about the idea of not understanding really the need to have a separate course material or course work on African-American history because it should all be incorporated and is all part of more of the umbrella term of American history. You know, your expertise, obviously, in the work you do as the professor of African-American studies and in all the work you've done, you recognize there is value in having a nuanced curriculum with respect to it. Tell us why.”
Nuanced curriculum can be a good thing, but based on CNN’s on-screen graphic, the original structure DeSantis opposed was anything but nuanced. “Black queer studies,” “the movement of Black Lives,” and “the reparations movement” are all no longer mandatory. A truly nuanced class doesn’t exist just to satisfy progressive wish lists. The revised material also includes “Black Conservatism” as a possible student research topic which raises the question why it was omitted in the first place.
Patterson argued that “that American history does not include African-American history writ large” and that the course teaches more than just history by also touching on subjects like art and literature.
He also confirmed worries that the class could be used by activists seeking to push their own agendas, “But as importantly, okay, we know that white supremacy is a central part of American education. And part of what this course is doing is challenging white supremacy, is challenging anti-Black racism, and quite frankly, that seems to be part of the issue that the state of Florida has taken with the course, that it challenges some of the very premises that seem to have political currency and we might need to think more about.”
Who is this “we?” CNN needs better experts, because true experts don’t begin with the assumption that anybody who disagrees with them is a white supremacist. However, Coates agreed with the premise and wondered how anyone could disagree, “I mean, I don't know how you educate without challenging one's mind, where -- you know, misconceptions and preconceived notions. Thank you so much for your time and explaining all that you have tonight. I really appreciate it.”
If your class has to be shamed into including conservatives as an optional research project, “challenging one’s mind” may not have been the original purpose of the class.
This segment was sponsored by Gillette.
Here is a transcript for the February 1 show:
CNN Tonight
2/1/2023
11:09 PM ET
COATES: This is so important to get this clarity because I think there is the perception and this is the power of the narrative that has come and emerged through all of this. It is important to really not only demystify the process, but to clarify and fact-check what has been said. The governor, DeSantis, spoke about the idea of not understanding really the need to have a separate course material or course work –
ROBERT PATTERSON: Right.
COATES: -- on African-American history because it should all be incorporated and is all part of more of the umbrella term of American history. You know, your expertise, obviously, in the work you do as the professor of African-American studies and in all the work you've done, you recognize there is value in having a nuanced curriculum with respect to it. Tell us why.
PATTERSON: Well, a couple of reasons. First of all, we all know that from the students who were in the interviews that your colleague, Leyla Santiago, conducted, that American history does not include African-American history writ large. So, that's number one.
Number two, this is a course of African-American studies. So, it's not just a history course, but is bringing together literature, visual analysts, data analysis, primary sources, and other issues that are related to understand Black life, Black history, and Black thought.
But as importantly, okay, we know that white supremacy is a central part of American education. And part of what this course is doing is challenging white supremacy, is challenging anti-Black racism, and quite frankly, that seems to be part of the issue that the state of Florida has taken with the course, that it challenges some of the very premises that seem to have political currency and we might need to think more about.
COATES: I mean, I don't know how you educate without challenging one's mind, where -- you know, misconceptions and preconceived notions. Thank you so much for your time and explaining all that you have tonight. I really appreciate it.
