An Oklahoma House committee passed a bill that would ban Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History classes in the state. The Republican legislators backing the bill believe the new AP curriculum is anti-American, focusing too much on the negative aspect of U.S. history.

The bill passed the state House Education Committee on Feb. 18 with a vote of 11 to 4. The bill's author, Republican Rep. Dan Fisher, argued the new curriculum would not do American history justice, only focusing on the bad, according to KGOU. 

"We don't want our tax dollars going to a test that undermines our history," Fisher said.

Others in the state's Republican party have taken the opportunity to not only attack this one course but the whole AP program, arguing it follows the same logic as Common Core, which the state repealed, reports Tulsa World.

Republican Rep. Sally Kern said the AP program violated the law repealing Common Core and asked the state attorney general to decide on the matter.

According to Fisher, who is a Baptist pastor, the bill is only aimed at the particular course and the way it portrays American history, reports The Associated Press.

"There seems to be a very clear leaning in the new framework to communicate that America is just not a good place. We're exploiters. We're abusers. We put down the poor. The rich rule. All those kinds of things," Fisher said.

"No one's questioning that America doesn't have blemishes, and I don't even have a problem with those being taught. ... But I do have a problem with those being taught almost to the exclusion of what America has done right."

However, teachers and Democrats said losing the course or the AP program would prevent various students throughout the state from earning college credit early.

Fisher said he wants to maintain the program and he only plans for his bill to target the AP U.S. History course, reports The Oklahoman, despite what his colleagues are attempting.

"We're trying to fix the bill," Fisher said. "It was very poorly worded and was incredibly ambiguous, and we didn't realize that, so it's been misinterpreted. We're going to clear it up so folks will know exactly what we're trying to accomplish, and it's not to hurt AP. We're very supportive of the AP program."