The College Board's Advanced Placement Program, which oversees the AP U.S. History course at the center of the Jefferson County protests, said in a statement Friday it supports the teens and their actions.
"These students recognize that the social order can — and sometimes must — be disrupted in the pursuit of liberty and justice," the statement said. "Civil disorder and social strife are at the patriotic heart of American history — from the Boston Tea Party to the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement."
The board also said if a school or district "censors essential concepts from an Advanced Placement course, that course can no longer bear the 'AP' designation."
Parents and students have been protesting a proposed committee that was going to review the AP U.S. history curriculum. As initially proposed by board member Julie Williams, instructional material should promote "positive aspects" of U.S. history and avoid encouraging "civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law."
The board tabled the idea for the panel at its meeting last week, and significant cuts have been proposed by one of Williams' conservative board allies.
Friday was the fifth consecutive day of school board protests in the county, with about two dozen parents gathering at an intersection near Chatfield High School to speak their mind.
A spokeswoman for the school board on Friday said principals at Chatfield and Dakota Ridge high schools excused student absences from their Wednesday walk-out protest. The district said the students were offered the reprieve in exchange for returning to classes after about two hours.
The principals sent an email to parents and students on Wednesday night saying the reprieve was a one-time offer that would not be extended to further protests, the district said.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul