FLORIDA (SNN TV) – Another showdown over Advanced Placement courses could be brewing in Florida, this time over AP Psychology.
It’s as the nonprofit that runs the program faces pressure from state officials to remove or revise lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity, and it’s on the heels of a controversy over how to teach African American studies. The conflict is another example of how Governor Ron DeSantis‘ push to restrict how race and LGBTQ issues are taught is impacting Florida’s schools.
The Florida Department of Education sent a letter last month to the College Board, which runs the AP program. It asked the organization to review all AP courses to see if they “need modification to ensure compliance” with a Florida law and state Board of Education rule targeting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
According to the Herald Tribune, the College Board responded Thursday with a defiant letter stating that it will not modify courses “to accommodate restrictions teaching essential, college-level topics.”
The AP Psychology course has a unit dealing with developmental psychology that includes discussion of gender and sexual orientation. The College Board thinks the class could be targeted.
