An AP literature teacher at Lake Howell High School has been pulled from the classroom and placed on administrative leave after parents complained about the use of a “Genderbread” infographic in a recent lesson. The complaints triggered a formal review by Seminole County Public Schools into whether the material ran afoul of district policy or state guidance. While the district sorts it out, school officials say classes are continuing as normal as staff comb through the slide deck and speak with those involved.
District confirms investigation
According to ClickOrlando, a viewer tip alerted the station that the AP Literature teacher had used a slide from It’s Pronounced Metrosexual showing the “Genderbread Person.” District Communications Officer Katherine Crnkovich told the outlet, “This is under investigation, and the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of said investigation.” The district has not named the teacher or specified when the lesson took place, keeping details tight while the review is underway.
What Florida law says
Under the Florida statutes, classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity “may not occur in prekindergarten through grade 8,” and any instruction in grades 9–12 must be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate” under state standards. That language gives districts a formal yardstick to measure classroom content, but it also leaves some gray area over what qualifies as instruction versus incidental discussion. As a result, materials such as the Genderbread graphic have become recurring flashpoints in school disputes around Florida.
State board tightened the rules
In the Florida Department of Education’s April 19, 2023 meeting agenda, the State Board documented changes to Rule 6A-10.081, spelling out that educators shall not intentionally provide classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity unless it fits within narrow, standards-driven exceptions. The department’s materials note that violations of these professional-conduct rules can bring disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of a teaching certificate. Districts have repeatedly cited that regulatory shift while trying to decide whether particular classroom lessons cross the state’s legal line.
About the Genderbread graphic
The “Genderbread Person” is a visual teaching tool that separates biological sex, gender identity and gender expression onto different continua. Versions popularized by Sam Killermann and hosted on It's Pronounced Metrosexual are frequently used in trainings and classrooms. Educators who turn to the graphic often describe it as a straightforward way to explain how different facets of sex and gender can vary independently. Its use has also attracted scrutiny in states that have tightened rules around when and how gender-related topics can be discussed in schools.
Where the case goes from here
Seminole County Public Schools confirmed to ClickOrlando that the teacher will remain on administrative leave while the review runs its course, and officials say they will not share additional information during the active investigation. In situations like this, districts typically examine the full set of lesson materials, conduct interviews with staff and students, and consult state guidance before deciding on any discipline or potential policy tweaks. For now, families with questions or complaints are being directed to the district communications office as the review moves forward.
