Over the past month, a dispute has erupted regarding the popular AP Psychology course. After a long and drawn-out argument, Florida’s Department of Education has come to the conclusion that specific items in the College Board’s AP Psychology curriculum violate current state laws.
Since May 2023, students in the state of Florida have been prohibited from being instructed in public school classrooms about gender identity and sexual orientation. This is due to what people commonly refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, officially known as an extension to the “Parental Rights in Education” bill that was signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
On May 19th, the Florida Department of Education wrote a letter to the College Board requesting that they review all of their courses to ensure none “need modification to ensure compliance” with Florida laws and regulations.
AP Psychology caught the attention of many Florida officials, as it asks students to “describe how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development.”
However, despite popular belief that Governor DeSantis “banned” AP Psychology on a whim, he attempted to get the College Board to alter the curriculum slightly in order to abide by state laws while also allowing for the course to continue to be offered in schools.
The College Board quickly rejected the state’s compromise as it would “break the fundamental promise of AP” by failing to fully prepare students for college-level courses and topics. “The Florida Department of Education has effectively banned A.P. Psychology in the state,” said the College Board in a statement to students and teachers.
The College Board made this statement without the state’s consent, leaving schools, students, and parents in a state of distress. “I am disappointed with the decision by the state and the confusion and uncertainty it has caused schools throughout the state,” said Kevin Wiggins, Manatee High School AP Psychology teacher, in an interview.
Florida Education Commissioner, Manny Diaz Jr., immediately made an August 4th statement to clarify the state of AP Psychology. It said that schools could offer the complete class in a manner that is “age and developmentally appropriate,”
Thus, being less than a week before the start of the 2023-24 school year left guidance counselors in a scramble to get schedules changed, while attempting to keep students in a class that could possibly offer the same level of difficulty. Wiggins says the timing of these events has made it “difficult for school districts and teachers to prepare for a switch from AP to AICE. As a psychology teacher this has forced me to educate myself on how AICE and AP psychology differ in approach and assessment.”
