1 yr. ago • 97%

AP Psychology effectively banned in Florida because of gender, sexuality chapter

www.usatoday.com AP Psychology effectively banned in Florida because of gender, sexuality chapter

The College Board said censoring those topics would mean the class couldn't be called Advanced Placement or used to earn college credit.

Florida superintendents have been advised by the state's education agency to nix their Advanced Placement Psychology classes unless they exclude any topics related to gender or sexuality, according to a press release from The College Board.

Such a shift would mean the courses couldn't be called Advanced Placement, however, or used by students to earn college credit, the College Board said.

"We are sad to have learned that today the Florida Department of Education has effectively banned AP Psychology in the state by instructing Florida superintendents that teaching foundational content on sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal under state law," the statement reads. "The state has said districts are free to teach AP Psychology only if it excludes any mention of these essential topics."

In June, the College Board said they would not alter its popular AP Psychology class after the state 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.

72 comments

At some point Parental Rights is going to run up against Parents Who Want Their Kids to Go to College

116
- Exactly. What happened to my rights as a parent to have my children be educated about the real world as it exists, not the fantasy hellscape that Ron Desantis wants to exist?
  
  Most of my daughter's friends are registered to take this class this year. The school year starts next Thursday and now they have no idea what is going to happen. I'm hoping the courts step in and order an immediate injunction on this fuckery.
  
  Ron Desantis is the biggest piece of shit I have ever seen and I hate that the majority of my fellow Floridians voted this tool into office with an overwhelming majority. What a crock of shit.
  
  104
  
  Your neighbors voted for him. Tell them it's an issue.
  
  30
  
  Apparently we have to do that ourselves because it's better to deny something to all children if one person doesn't want it.
  
  9
  
  It’s time to leave Florida. We did six years ago. In Washington now and let me tell you.. it’s heaven in comparison.
  
  1
- If I were an Ivy League school, I'd make very clear that from here on out a degree from a Florida high school is virtually worthless without some kind of extra lessons and/or instruction. If they're not being taught the basics of history and science, then they no longer qualify to attend top-rated universities. It's as simple as that.
  
  31
- Parental Rights is pretty much always right wing crazies trying to keep their kids ignorant and controlled
  
  26
How does anyone stand living in such a state? I'd move, family and job and friends be damned.

84
- I'm originally from Orlando and I moved to Minnesota about seven years ago, I knew things weren't going to get better for trans people there so I left to protect myself. Moving is expensive and scary, and making new friends elsewhere is also difficult. Having actually done it, I don't look down on people who can't.
  
  49
  
  Yes you are of course correct about moving, I hope Minnesota is good for you though.
  
  13
  
  I'm trying to. What would you say to me?
  
  6
- That's what they're hoping for. States like Florida and Texas have slowly become more purple. They want to turn that back to solid red.
  
  34
  
  I suppose you're right. Ugh.
  
  I stumbled across some woman from Florida on Instagram hashtags who is a Florida Trumper and is astonishingly pregnant with her seventeenth child. I fell down a rabbit hole of her friends and it's absolutely no wonder Florida is what it is.
  
  17
  
  Ruining their economy and livelihoods to own the Libs.
  
  10
- Permanently Deleted
  
  32
  
  Upstate NY is kind of wild. I don't live too far away and have driven through some of those towns and they are definitely rural folk.
  
  13
- Unfortunately, if everyone who disagrees moved out, it would just leave the state and its electoral votes to these baboons. Florida is more purple than red. There's actually a good chance to turn this around if people remember to vote.
  
  10
- There are bubbles. The bubbles won’t protect you from the heat or the mosquitoes though.
  
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  Permanently Deleted
  
  2
- We moved 6 years ago to Seattle WA.
  
  2
  
  That must be a relief.
  
  2
Republicans: iT's ScIeNcE
Also Republicans: don't teach science.

59
- Republicans: LGBTQ people have a mental disorder!
  
  Also Republicans: Don't teach about LGBTQ people in a psychology class!
  
  So dumb.
  
  48
  
  More like “don’t have a psychology class”
  
  16
DeSantis will literally ban psychology instead of going to therapy.

54
- That’s the easiest thing to do, no way is he going to work on his self awareness. That goes against his values and principles.
  
  4
An AP psych course 20 years ago is how I figured out what I want to do for a living. That's super depressing because until that point I didn't know you could do brain research as a career.

38
- How does one go about getting into that field?
  
  4
  
  Step 1) Don’t live in Florida
  
  12
  
  Most straightforward would be getting BS in psychology, neuroscience, or biology, then PhD in psychology/neuroscience programs or MD/PhD. The exact field varies quite a bit, you can have a background in engineering or mathematics as well. MD/PhD gives you more options in clinical research, regular PhD gives you more laboratory experience but you can always get involved in clinical research. I don't have an MD but I can still collect tissue or do assessments on patients for research in coordination with MDs
  
  4
I lived in Florida for a couple years before moving back to my home state and I can't imagine having a trans, gay or non-binary child. It's absolutely demoralizing to be in a place that is actively sparking hate against you.

29
- We’re well past that. At this point I can’t imagine having a child in Florida. I keep picturing myself in ten years trying to hire a new graduate, but not being able to accept them as educated
  
  29
  
  For sure. I escaped with my pregnant wife at the time. We left because their healthcare is dog shit and I absolutely hated the people there. Most of them were transient rich people that treated everyone like shit.
  
  9
I fully expect DeSantis to tell schools to still call it AP Psych only to get bitch slapped in court for it.

27
When is the book burning in front of the institute of gender studies? This parody isn't even funny.

24
- Yeah that’s going to happen in Indiana. Like I have 0 doubt that these people will burn down the kinsey institute in 2025 if trump is re-elected
  
  8
  
  If he gets reelected I think that's probably what gets lefties to get as violent as the right if he survives that long.
  
  5
Oh FFS, I wish this stupid fuck would just go away and leave education to I don’t know, less stupid people.

15
- Lack of education is how they grow more Republicans.
  
  9
Can’t be crazy if there’s no mental health professionals, right? 🤷🏾

15
They are so lost, such a shame..

14
- Lost assumes they want to go in the right direction. I’m not sure the current leadership qualifies.
  
  6
  
  Malicious ignorance, they don't know any better because they don't want to.
  
  6
How does banning teaching of certain topics mesh with the 1st ammendment?

12
Fuck mini Hitler Ron Deathsantis. The court will likely strike it down.

7
Good for them

Edit: them being the college board

2
- What exactly is good about this? It’s a psychology course. You don’t think that gender and sexuality are included in psychology?
  
  Edit- retracted after op edit
  
  21
  
  I think they meant good on the AP board for not folding. A cursory look at their profile reveals them to be a lesbian so that’s the most likely explanation here, I think.
  
  29
  
  That the college board refused to cave. I think it’s a dangerous precedent if they had.
  
  8
- You wouldn't ban the teaching of material science to a future civil engineer.
  
  You wouldn't ban the teaching of chemistry to a future pharmacist.
  
  You wouldn't ban the teaching of aerodynamic sciences to a future car designer.
  
  Why would you ban the teaching of gender identity and sexuality to a future psychologist if it's a core piece of knowledge required to excel at their profession?
  
  10
  
  Yeah you really shouldn’t. Hence good for the college board for not caving to the demands to erase the hard fought acknowledgement of people like myself’s experiences
  
  9
  
  Probably because the people behind these changes by-and-large don't believe psychologists are needed. If you have any problems you should consult your pastor or something.
  
  5
Name on political move made by DeSantis that isn’t rooted in bigotry, misogyny, or racism.

Seriously. Is this dude from the 1930’s?

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