Florida high school students can no longer take AP psychology because course includes lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity: Furious Randi Weingarten calls Ron DeSantis a ‘global embarrassment’

Florida students can no longer study Advanced Placement (AP) psychology after the group administering the test withdrew it, saying the course could not be adapted to the state’s new laws against discussions of LGBTQ issues in the classroom .

The College Board, which oversees tests like the SAT, said they were asked by Florida authorities to sign an “assurance document” that AP psychology and other AP courses complied with Florida laws and regulations .

In March 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits public school teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom.

The bill initially only applied to third grade, but in April of this year, at DeSantis’ request, the Board of Education passed a ban on classroom teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades..

In May, Florida asked the College Board to review all of its courses to ensure they comply with Florida law.

Florida’s GOP-dominated legislature passed the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill on Tuesday despite a wave of protests from students and LGBTQ activists who rejected the bill

The college board said they wouldn’t sign Florida’s insurance policybecause it would mean dropping the topics of sexual orientation and gender identity in their college-level psychology course.

As a result, it advised school districts not to make it part of their schedule for the upcoming school year.

In January, Florida AP banned African American Studies, arguing that the class indoctrinates students with “a political agenda.”

“As filed, the course is a vehicle for a political agenda and leaves large, ambiguous gaps that can be filled with additional ideological material, which we will not allow,” said Bryan Griffin, DeSantis press secretary.

Florida insisted on Thursday that they had not banned AP psychology, accusing the College Board of “playing games.”

But multiple school districts continued to struggle to find replacement classes and help aspiring high school students who planned to take the course at the college level.

Last year, 28,000 Florida students took AP psychology, and the course was offered at 562 different schools.

In 2021, Florida had the highest AP participation rate in the country and was second only to Connecticut the percentage of high school students who passed at least one AP exam.

In 2022, Florida high school students took nearly 364,000 AP exams, according to College Board data cited by The Orlando Sentinel.

Multiple school districts confirmed they dropped AP Psychology after the College Board announcement.

DeSantis blocked AP African American Studies in his state in January

Lake County schools will not offer AP psychology this year, Sherri Owens, a spokesperson, said in an email to the paper.

Orange County Public Schools sent out messages late Thursday to parents of students enrolled in AP psychology, telling them the class cannot be offered due to “selected content” that is not allowed under Florida rules.

They noted that the “College Board requires teachers to teach the full curriculum for an AP course for credit.”

Schools in the district are “working to identify alternative options for your child’s schedule,” the post said.

Cassie Palelis, a spokeswoman for the education department, said it was not true that the course was banned because other “advanced course providers” such as the International Baccalaureate program had “no problem” offering a college-level psychology course in Florida.

“The ministry has not ‘banned’ the course,” Palelis said.

The course remains listed on Florida’s course code list for the 2023-24 school year.

“We encourage the College Board to stop playing games with Florida students and continue to provide the course and allow teachers to work accordingly.”

But the college board said it advised districts not to offer the course because doing so would violate state law or, if changed, render the class incomplete.

“We are sorry to learn that the Florida Department of Education today effectively banned AP Psychology in the state by instructing Florida superintendents that teaching basic content about sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal under state law,” the College Board said. in a statement.

“That’s why we’re advising Florida districts not to offer AP Psychology until Florida reverses their decision and gives parents and students the choice to take the full course.”

Randi Weingarten, the head of one of the nation’s largest teachers’ unions, the AFT, condemned Florida’s harsh policies

Weingarten said DeSantis turned Florida into a “shame.”

Anna Eskamani, a Democrat representing Orlando, called the state’s stance on the LGBTQ discussion a “terrible decision” that is “100% politically motivated” and will hurt Florida students.

“As someone who graduated from Florida public schools with college credit through AP classes, I know how powerful and effective these classes are and I am sickened to see what Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party are doing in our state,” she said. said in a statement.

Randi Weingarten, the head of one of the nation’s largest teachers’ unions, the AFT, condemned Florida’s harsh policies.

AP Psychology has been offered in the state since 1993.

“Unfortunately, it’s all part of the DeSantis playbook of eroding rights, censoring those he disagrees with, and undermining access to knowledge,” she said.

“This year alone, countless teachers have been forced to remove or hide their classroom libraries under threat of sanctions and jail time, countless students have lost because the governor ended AP African-American studies, and now this assault on AP psychology.

“It’s an unscrupulous but far from surprising move by an extremist and increasingly unpopular leader who is fast becoming both a national pariah and a global embarrassment.”