The new school year for Hillsborough County has officially begun, and with it comes schedules for the year.
Many first-year students were surprised to find the class AP Human Geography on their schedules despite not signing up for it.
During March 2021, incoming freshmen or current eighth graders complete programming sheets to sign up for classes in the upcoming school year.
In years past, AP Human Geography was the only Advanced Placement class offered to freshmen, and it was optional. However, this year, if students had scored a three, four, or five on their writing FSA they were automatically placed in AP Human.
This of course raises concern that some students may not be qualified for this class, or capable enough to pass.
However, Ms. Peck-Bartle, an AP Human Geography teacher at Steinbrenner High School, offers a different opinion.
“I really think it is all in the way in which you teach it, and if you provide the support systems and the tutoring that’s needed, if you have the ability to connect it to some of the contemporary issues, and if you work through and focus on the skills in class then they should be fine,” said Peck.
Peck later went on to say that the course was gradually becoming more suited for freshmen or those beginning AP classes, and that was part of why she was so unconcerned.
“I think that the movement you see here, is the same movement that we’re seeing across the nation, it’s becoming more and more and more of an entry level course, and so we’re seeing more students across the nation taking it at the freshman level.” said Peck.
While teachers like Ms. Peck-Bartle remain optimistic that students will be able to handle the pressure, others are not convinced.
Sydney Lord, a freshman at Steinbrenner High School shares her view on the mandate.
“For kids who don’t care about their grade, I think they will struggle,” said Sydney.
Despite not originally signing up for the class, Lord did mention her standpoint on the importance and relevance of the class while also sharing how she thinks the county should have handled the change.
“Overall, I think that it is an important class to take and to learn about the cultural aspects of the world around us, but I don’t know if they should have put all the freshman in without them knowing or their parents knowing.”
Lorelei Woodward // Co-opinion Editor
