Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis just suffered a humiliating rebuke to one of his authoritarian demands

Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis is ordering The College Board to remove LGBTQ+ material from an Advanced Placement psychology course.

And The College Board ain’t budging.

On Thursday, The College Board announced it has rejected the Florida governor’s demand to change portions of a psychology class that addresses gender identity and sexuality. Earlier this year, DeSantis expanded the state’s odious “Don’t Say Gay” law to all grade levels, barring discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in public school classrooms across Florida.

“Please know that we will not modify our courses to accommodate restrictions on teaching essential, college-level topics,” the board said in a letter to Florida’s education department, via Politico. “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 success in the discipline.”

This is DeSantis’ second high-profile fight with The College Board, whose Advanced Placement program offers 40 courses that are taught across the country. Last year, DeSantis demanded the organization alter components of its African American studies class, including lessons on the Black Lives Matter movement and the concept of reparations.

The College Board initially complied, before saying it will revise the course yet again.

It’s unclear whether the psychology class in question will be offered in Florida, the third largest state in the U.S. Florida is creating its own high-level courses to rival AP classes, Politico reports.

DeSantis is on a long-standing kick to whitewash Florida’s public education system. Earlier this year, he engineered a takeover of New College, a small liberal arts institution, installing conservative lackeys on its board to remake the school.

Ever since winning reelection last November, DeSantis, who announced his campaign for president last month in a disastrous Twitter Spaces with Elon Musk, has made attacking LGBTQ+ people one of his utmost priorities.

During Florida’s last legislative session, he signed a bill outlawing gender-affirming care for minors and made it a criminal offense if adults don’t use the bathroom that corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth. The legislature also passed a bill targeting drag shows.

As DeSantis leans further into the culture wars, his standing among voters keeps faltering. His unfavorable rating currently stands at 48.1%. Back in January, it was 32.1%.

In other words, DeSantis’ attempts to curry favor by minimizing LGBTQ+ people in society and the classroom aren’t working. What a pity.

Scroll down for more reaction to the flailing candidate’s latest setback…

He’s so full of empty threats it’s comical. Another reason to laugh at him— Susan (@snoozin19) June 15, 2023

Desantis’s spitefulness will potentially cost college bound students thousands of dollars. pic.twitter.com/vPBccimMru— Jennifer Tammaro (@Jennanjack) June 15, 2023

I honestly think that Republicans spend more time thinking about gay sex than actual gay porn stars do.— Logan Five (@LoganFive6) June 15, 2023

FL parents with college bound kids are eventually going to revolt. They will see that their kids are less competitive just because Desantis wants to be potus.— Bend mountain Mama (@souzajen) June 15, 2023

Standing up to tyranny! This gives me hope for humanity.— Dom Unique (@BusterMalarkey) June 16, 2023