By Folaranmi Ajayi
After a series of complaints by parents who stated that their children are becoming too unpatriotic by depicting the existence of the African continent, the Florida Board Of Education removes Africa from the world maps.
The Florida Board of Education reportedly responded to heated statewide controversy Friday by saying the continent’s existence raised numerous questions of bias and accountability in the classroom.
The board chair Thomas R. Grady noted that the removal of the world’s second-largest continent from school textbooks and atlases would not prevent parents and students from discussing the contentious geographic issue at home.
“Many parents expressed concern that we were teaching their children to be unpatriotic by depicting the existence of the African continent,”
“Some thought seeing Africa drawn on a map might suggest we want white students to feel guilty about themselves. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and we hope this comes across when they see the large landless swath of ocean now visible between South America and Asia. Also, let’s not forget about the role Africa played in the slave trade.”
As of press time, the board had agreed to compromise with critics by adding a second America where the African continent once was.
The Florida Board of Education oversees the Florida Department of Education, a committee of 7 members and the Commissioner of Education, which are all appointed by the Florida Governor to direct public & Community College education in the United State of America.
