Florida schools' tug-of-war with AP Psychology

Florida's controversial education system is back in the national spotlight, this time concerning its teaching of the Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology course. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has been scrapping with the organizer of the AP program, the College Board, over content in a number of AP classes. The conservative-led state had previously fallen out with the College Board over portions of the latter's AP African American Studies class. And now there have been a number of developments on both sides of the argument, with some school districts citing an "evolving educational landscape" as the reasoning behind not teaching AP Psychology.

Cause of the feud

The issue began when the Florida Department of Education instructed schools to only teach AP Psychology if "material concerning sexual orientation and gender identity is removed," The Washington Post reported. DeSantis expanded a law this past April banning these subjects from being taught through 12th grade. William J. Montford III, head of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, told the Post that schools were being encouraged to teach a "modified version" of the class that didn't talk about these issues.

By making these changes, Florida had "effectively banned" AP Psychology in the state, the College Board said in a statement. The organization stated that the course "asks students to 'describe how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development'" and that "gender and sexual orientation have been part of AP Psychology since the course launched 30 years ago."

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As a result of Florida's changes, the College Board advised the state's school districts "not to offer AP Psychology until Florida reverses their decision and allows parents and students to choose to take the full course."

State's response

After the College Board's advisory against offering the class, Florida backtracked in a way that seemed to directly go against its prior decision. The state's education department said that AP Psychology can be taught in its entirety in a manner that's age and developmentally appropriate," Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said, per the Tallahassee Democrat, adding that the class "remains listed in our course catalog."

The College Board seemed to welcome this development, telling NBC News it hoped Florida educators "will be able to teach the full course, including content on gender and sexual orientation, without fear of punishment." However, it added that "district superintendents continue to seek additional clarity."

Amid this uncertainty over whether the course can actually be taught, at least nine school districts "will be dropping the AP Psychology course and switching to alternatives this upcoming school year to avoid potential conflict with state law," The Hill reported. This development, which represents another reversal of course, came just one day before the school year was slated to start on August 10, and some school districts are "still unsure what will replace the class."

Public opinion

The entire argument is unique because AP Psychology has "generated little objections in Florida in the past," Neil J. Young opined for CNN. "Given both AP Psychology's popularity and its uncontroversial reputation in the state … Florida's overreaching legislation always seemed to be just a play for power by the state's Republican lawmakers."

Florida should "stop playing politics with public education," Giselle Matias wrote for The Palm Beach Post, adding that Florida "should work to create better regulations that could help our education." Instead, lawmakers were "attempting to shield us from content that will inevitably be brought to light in life."