The course has been taught in Florida public high schools for 30 years
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Multiple Florida school districts have decided to replace Advanced Placement Psychology with alternate courses just ahead of the upcoming school year after state officials warned schools that elements of the psych class violate Florida law.
Eight Florida school districts with the largest enrollments in AP Psychology have dropped the course and two others are still deciding, according to a Washington Post report.
The course, which has been taught by Florida high schools for 30 years, includes lessons on "how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development," a course description read.
This is the latest news following a feud between the College Board, the creators of the course; and the Florida Department of Education (DOE), the government office enforcing the Parental Rights in Education law’s standards that restrict instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade in classrooms.
FLORIDA EDUCATION BOARD EXPANDS LIMITATIONS ON GENDER IDENTITY LESSONS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. speaks at a news conference at Crooms Academy of Information Technology in Sanford, Florida, on June 30, 2022. (Orlando Sentinel via Getty Images)
Earlier this summer, the College Board claimed that the Florida DOE "recently requested" that it "audit and potentially modify AP courses relative to the new Florida laws that restrict classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity."
The course creators refused, stating it "will not modify our courses to accommodate restrictions on teaching essential, college-level topics. Doing so would break the fundamental promise of AP: colleges wouldn’t broadly accept that course for credit and that course wouldn’t prepare students for careers in the discipline."
The response to the state DOE added, "As with all AP courses, required topics must be included for a course to be designated as AP."
Having not yet come to an agreement on the issue, the board claimed last week that the Florida DOE had "effectively banned" AP Psychology in state schools.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a series of education bills at Cambridge Christian school in Tampa, Florida, on May 17, 2023. (Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
In a recent statement, the College Board remarked on this alleged ban, saying, "it removes choice from parents and student. Coming just days from the start of school, it derails the college readiness and affordability plans of tens of thousands of Florida students currently registered for AP Psychology, one of the most popular AP classes in the state."
It also advised school districts not to offer it.
Multiple state school districts have decided to follow this advice just days ahead of the new school year. Brevard County Schools for instance released a statement noting the difficult decision to withhold the course, explaining that to keep it would require altering it to abide with Florida law. That would result in it not being certified as AP.
The district stated, "In essence, if we don’t teach all of the content, our students will not receive AP credit. If we do teach all of the content, our instructors will violate the law. Therefore, we will not offer AP Psychology at any of our high schools this year."
Fox News Digital reached out to the College Board and the Florida Department of Education for comment on these major school districts dropping the course, but neither have immediately responded.
Fox News' Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.
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Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.
