Florida, in collaboration with the College Board, has seemingly arrived at a consensus regarding the incorporation of LGBTQ subjects within the state’s Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology curriculum. This accord emerges on the heels of the education nonprofit’s claim that the course had been effectively proscribed due to its coverage of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. conveyed, through a missive addressed to school superintendents, that the state’s Department of Education does not intend to dissuade the teaching of AP Psychology. Diaz articulated that the department firmly believes in the possibility of instructing the course in a manner that is both age-appropriate and developmentally sound. The course remains unremoved from the official course catalog.
In response to the new directive from the Florida Department of Education, the College Board, responsible for overseeing the SAT and higher-level courses in high schools, offered a reaction laced with optimism yet tinged with skepticism. The Board emphasized the need for further clarity from the department and highlighted the guidance allowing for the comprehensive teaching of AP Psychology. This includes content encompassing gender and sexual orientation, potentially relieving teachers of concerns about reprisals.
The curriculum’s LGBTQ components are described by the College Board as lessons centered on how sex and gender impact various facets of socialization and development. The organization’s prior assertion accused the Florida Education Department of essentially banning AP Psychology within the state, citing directives to superintendents that regarded teaching foundational content related to sexual orientation and gender identity as infringing upon state law. This legal landscape is shaped by Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, officially known as the Parental Rights in Education act, which imposes restrictions on discussing sexual orientation and gender identity within classrooms.
While the Education Department denied allegations of banning the course, it did not address inquiries about potential attempts to limit the LGBTQ content within it. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, enacted by Governor Ron DeSantis, has undergone expansion over time. Originally aimed at kindergarten through third grade, the law’s scope now encompasses students up to eighth grade, also encompassing reproductive health education in grades six through twelve.
Governor DeSantis, in a recent discussion with the media, expressed confidence that the AP Psychology course will continue to be offered, signaling a step toward resolving the ongoing contentions surrounding LGBTQ education in Florida’s classrooms.