There’s a state law, a board of education rule, and a directive from the Florida Commissioner of Education. All are in conflict with each other and that’s why schools are now hesitant to teach AP Psychology.
The course contains instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation, bias and racial discrimination—issues that at least two state laws plus a board of education rule have limited or all out banned.
“We are committed to providing our students the course they signed up for—which is AP Psychology. We’ve had a little bit of a roller coaster ride over the past week over how to go about doing that," said Leon Superintendent Rocky Hanna.
Florida’s education commissioner recently told districts they can teach the course in its entirety, a message that contradicts the department’s directive just last week to not teach the units on gender identity and sexual orientation. The reversal came after the College Board, which authored the class, refused to modify it.
For Hanna, the conflicting state rules and laws are confusing, but the district is going forward with the course, anyway.
“All of our teachers are on board," he said. "They’re scared, they’re fearful that a parent will lodge a complaint and then professional practices will launch an investigation into them as they did to me…but we’ve assured them they won’t be in it alone.”
There’s yet to be any sign from the state of what to do should a parent object to the course materials and lodge a challenge. Hanna says parents will have to sign consent forms for their students to take the class. As of now, it will be offered in all five of the district’s high schools, including Chiles—which previously said it would drop the course and offer a college-level alternative instead.
