Florida’s rejection of a new African American Studies Advanced Placement course attracted a lot of attention. The state’s department of education banned the course from being taught in Florida schools because they argued it violated their curriculum laws which prevent elements aligned with critical race theory.

However, after the College Board released the revised course, they faced allegations that they caved to political pressure. Representatives for he College Board claim that is not the case but they did formally address Florida’s rejection of the course in an open letter Thursday.

The letter claims that not only was Florida not involved in the revision process but that the state’s grievances are not even present in the course:

“The first and only written feedback we have received was through a tweet from Commissioner Diaz posted on January 20, 2023. Four of the six course elements criticized in that tweet were in fact not present in the actual pilot framework we provided you in July 2022, including readings by Angela Davis and bell hooks, and references to Leslie Kay Jones and Roderick Ferguson” said the letter. “The tweet also objected to “Black Queer Studies,” though no such topic appears in the July 2022 pilot course framework.”

A nationwide debate about curriculum has led to many such conflicts. Conservatives campaigned heavily against what they perceived as critical race theory in the previous election cycle.

Read the full letter here.