Columbia High School already offers an African-American history course as an elective. It should remain an elective. Creating a required black history course could lead to required Hispanic history courses and others. The course's teacher is certified as a chemistry teacher, but received a temporary certification to teach the course for one year. After this year, Gloria McIntosh must take six-hour courses each year until she is certified to be able to continue teaching the course.
Certification is required by the state.
The bill is in three committees and expected to go to the House floor in about a week, Peterman said. If approved, the requirement will go into effect July 1.