Philadelphia students mandated to take African studies


In what could be a unique move nationally, the Philadelphia School
District will require every high school student to take a separate
course in African and African American history to graduate, beginning
with this September's freshman class, the Philadelphia Inquirer's
Susan Snyder reports Thursday.

Both national and local officials said yesterday that they knew of no
other district requiring such a course, particularly one focused on
African history, for graduation.

The School Reform Commission voted unanimously in February to offer
courses in both areas at every high school, and said it would
consider making one or both courses a graduation requirement.