“To be clear, any AP Psychology course taught in Florida will violate both Florida legislation or school necessities,” the Faculty Board in an announcement on Thursday. “Subsequently, we advise Florida districts to not provide AP Psychology till Florida reverses their choice and permits mother and father and college students to decide on to take the total course.”

The Florida Division of Training is requiring colleges omit dialogue concerning gender and sexual identification in the event that they educate its Superior Placement Psychology course, in response to the board. Beneath the group’s coverage, censored curriculum doesn’t qualify for the AP designation. The Faculty Board earlier this 12 months drew ire from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over its AP African American Historical past course.

The Faculty Board says intercourse and gender matters have been a part of the AP Psychology coursework for the reason that course was launched 30 years in the past.  The curriculum notes that college students ought to be capable to “describe how intercourse and gender affect socialization and different facets of improvement.” A spokesperson for the Faculty Board mentioned that the coursework doesn’t dictate how academics current the matters. 

The Florida Division of Training rejects the Faculty Board’s declare, Cassie Palelis, a spokesperson for the division, mentioned in an electronic mail, noting different suppliers nonetheless provide school credit score for the course.

“The Division didn’t ‘ban’ the course,” she mentioned. “The course stays listed in Florida’s Course Code Listing for the 2023-24 college 12 months. We encourage the Faculty Board to cease enjoying video games with Florida college students and proceed to supply the course and permit academics to function accordingly.”

Excessive-school academics are being instructed to observe Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Training Regulation, which limits dialogue concerning gender identification and sexual orientation. The regulation — recognized by critics because the “Don’t Say Homosexual” legislation — was expanded in April to incorporate college students in kindergarten by means of grade 12. Proponents for the legislation say it offers mother and father better oversight to what their youngsters are studying, whereas critics say it harms LGBTQ+ college students and academics specifically.

State Consultant Anna Eskamani, a Democrat, decried the lack of AP Psychology for the state’s highschool college students. “It is a horrible choice that’s 100% politically motivated and one that may rob our college students of a well-rounded and school prepared public schooling expertise,” Eskamani mentioned in an announcement.

In February, the Faculty Board unveiled a framework for its AP African American Historical past course, which DeSantis had beforehand criticized. A bunch of greater than 800 African American Research professors and different educations criticized the governor for his feedback surrounding the course.