“Districts were stuck in the middle, trying to interpret.” When things were clearer

“What superintendents are looking for is guidance from the department in writing, so it ensures uniformity” rather than guessing, said Browning, a Republican in his 12th year as superintendent. Only after a second clarifying letter from Diaz did Browning and other superintendents return to their original plans. Unsure what that meant, Browning stuck with the Cambridge alternative. He sent superintendents a letter saying the AP course could be taught in its entirety, in an age- and developmentally appropriate way. But when word spread, to the dismay of thousands of students who planned to take the AP course, commissioner Diaz shifted gears. He, along with several other superintendents, decided to consider the other options, just to be safe. “If we could teach AP Psych, why are they giving us all these alternatives?” Browning wondered. Then, he said, they started talking about alternate courses offered by the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International organizations. When superintendents sought direction from the state, several said they got different messages each time they asked.įirst, department officials said during a conference call that the course could be taught as written, recalled Browning, the Pasco superintendent. The College Board bristled, saying it would not remove any lessons on that topic or recognize any courses from schools that attempted to alter the content. State officials had demanded that the College Board, which provides the Advanced Placement Psychology course, promise to comply with a rule limiting instruction on gender identity through 12th grade.

“The idea that you can teach now without worrying about the consequences is gone.” Changing messages “Nobody wants to be on the front page for doing it,” said Husfelt, the former Bay County superintendent. New laws and rules set penalties that might be imposed against teachers, administrators and district officials who do not follow the latest requirements on books, classroom instruction and other hot-button issues. They said the department failed to tell districts that state laws restricting instruction about gender identity do not apply to the selection of library books - a key fact that the state’s lawyers had already made in a court case.Īdding to the strain are the high stakes. It offered little guidance beyond warnings to avoid materials that are harmful to minors.Īt the same time, anti-censorship groups criticized state officials for another communication lapse. The few participants in the online session noted that the state had asked for feedback but didn’t provide written proposals to review.Ĭomplaints have grown statewide about the Department of Education’s directions on books, including the instruction to “err on the side of caution” when choosing titles. The Department of Education earlier this month held another workshop related to the handling of book objections, which districts will have to follow once it’s complete. “That’s frustrating, and people are just throwing their hands up.” “We’re on our third time of looking at the policy (since January),” Cook said, noting that the state keeps revising rules and creating new ones. That effort comes as the board continues to draft rules for buying and reviewing books to comply with state law.

Some have taken to reading explicit passages aloud at board meetings, a so-far unsuccessful strategy aimed at convincing the board to pull books without going through its formal objection process. Pinellas lately has come under fire from some parents and residents who have demanded certain books be removed because of pages containing sex and violence. The Department of Education did not respond to requests for comment. “There’s a lot of angst out there, a lot of fear and worry,” said Bill Husfelt, who recently retired after 15 years as Bay County superintendent.

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