Thread: Using the title "doctor" can lead to arrest in Florida

It is an arrestable offense in Florida to use the title doctor if one doesn't have a properly accredited degree.

You can read about it here.

This would seem to give Florida one of the toughest degree laws in the country: a criminal offense to use any degree from an unaccredited school, unless specifically approved by the state.

Originally Posted by John Bear

This would seem to give Florida one of the toughest degree laws in the country: a criminal offense to use any degree from an unaccredited school, unless specifically approved by the state.

Actually, subsection (a), seems to prevent even a holder of a nationally-accredited doctorate from using the title "doctor":

(a) Accredited by a regional or professional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation;

I'm presuming that by "professional accrediting agency" they're referring to ABA, ALA, etc.

e) A religious seminary, institute, college, or university which offers only educational programs that prepare students for a religious vocation, career, occupation, profession, or lifework, and the nomenclature of whose certificates, diplomas, or degrees clearly identifies the religious character of the educational program.


2) No person awarded a doctorate degree from an institution not listed in subsection (1) shall claim in the state, either orally or in writing, the title "dr." before the person's name or any mark, appellation, or series of letters, numbers, or words, such as, but not limited to, "Ph.D.," "Ed.D.," "D.N.," or "D.Th.," which signifies, purports, or is generally taken to signify satisfactory completion of the requirements of a doctorate degree, after the person's name.


It looks as though "religious schools" are exempt; yes or no???

Originally Posted by me again

It is an arrestable offense in Florida to use the title doctor if one doesn't have a properly accredited degree. :eek

Ironically, the State of Florida provided $200 million of a $350 million incentive package that recently lured my favorite (currently) unaccredited California-approved Ph.D.-grantor to start building a new campus in Orlando. (The Mayor of Orlando, the President of the University of Central Florida and various other unindicted co-conspirators were photographed with shovels at the ground-breaking.) The institute says that they are talking to WASC, so maybe they will be accredited by the time their first Florida doctors doctorize. I'd hate to turn on FOX News and see the Florida cops sending out SWAT.

Brian: "It looks as though "religious schools" are exempt; yes or no???"

John: So it would seem, as long as they only give purely religious degrees. But then, let us recall that Louisiana had such a law . . . and LaSalle University announced that all their degrees, whether in psychology , math, political science , or business, were religious degrees, since God created everything: the brain, numbers, and so forth. When the state Board of Regents sued LaSalle, the state Supreme Court held that LaSalle's argument was valid. Twice.

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Originally Posted by BillDayson

Ironically, the State of Florida provided $200 million of a $350 million incentive package that recently lured my favorite (currently) unaccredited California-approved Ph.D.-grantor to start building a new campus in Orlando. (The Mayor of Orlando, the President of the University of Central Florida and various other unindicted co-conspirators were photographed with shovels at the ground-breaking.) The institute says that they are talking to WASC, so maybe they will be accredited by the time their first Florida doctors doctorize. I'd hate to turn on FOX News and see the Florida cops sending out SWAT.

And who is this favorite unaccredited California approved doctorate granter of yours which is now in Florida?

Originally Posted by John Bear

Brian: "It looks as though "religious schools" are exempt; yes or no???"

John: So it would seem, as long as they only give purely religious degrees. But then, let us recall that Louisiana had such a law . . . and LaSalle University announced that all their degrees, whether in psychology, math, political science, or business, were religious degrees, since God created everything: the brain, numbers, and so forth. When the state Board of Regents sued LaSalle, the state Supreme Court held that LaSalle's argument was valid. Twice.

Haha!!

Kind of interesting considering all of the firestorms raging over the RA vs NA debates.

Originally Posted by randyp

Actually, subsection (a), seems to prevent even a holder of a nationally-accredited doctorate from using the title "doctor":

Hmmm...

I live/work in Florida (municipal government) and have had to register both RA and NA (undergrad and grad) degrees with the State. If an accreditor is recognized by CHEA / USDoEd then those degrees are acceptable in Florida; that would also include DETC doctorates too.

Originally Posted by ShotoJuku

Hmmm...

I live/work in Florida (municipal government) and have had to register both RA and NA (undergrad and grad) degrees with the State. If an accreditor is recognized by CHEA / USDoEd then those degrees are acceptable in Florida; that would also include DETC doctorates too.

I would hope, but this phrase seems to indicate otherwise:

regional or professional accrediting agency

It's a somewhat ambiguous statute because "professional accrediting agency" could mean a) an accrediting agency that accredits professional programs such as the ABA for law, CAAHEP for allied health programs, etc. or b) an agency engaged in the profession of accrediting institutions, such as NCA, SACS, DETC, etc.

Originally Posted by randyp

I would hope, but this phrase seems to indicate otherwise:



It's a somewhat ambiguous statute because "professional accrediting agency" could mean a) an accrediting agency that accredits professional programs such as the ABA for law, CAAHEP for allied health programs, etc. or b) an agency engaged in the profession of accrediting institutions, such as NCA, SACS, DETC, etc.

Yes, it is somewhat vague and I suspect both a & b would apply but "b" certainly fits.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has trouble trying to understand these Florida laws! I speculate that DETC is accepted in Florida because it's recognized by the U.S. Department of Education . That would include any DETC doctoral degrees.

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I live in Florida and have been aware of this law for some time. I’ve read it, and speculate the following: The intent of the law is to protect the elderly from medical and other scams (which is good). Beyond that, it is so poorly worded that all the other speculation is warranted, however, outside of blatant misrepresentation of credentials in a way that could medically harm another, I would be fascinated if anyone were ever prosecuted. If I ever finish the HMU DA, I will gladly test the merits of the law to the fullest.

Dr. Lady: " If I ever finish the HMU DA, I will gladly test the merits of the law to the fullest."

It could be fun. There was a time when Columbia Pacific University was clearly illegal under Florida law, and when former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson had accepted a Columbia Pacific honorary doctorate (and spoken at their UK commencement).

Several years later, it looked as if Wilson was coming to Florida to watch a launch at Cape Canaveral . . . and the plot was hatched to have someone make a citizens arrest as he stepped off the plane.

Originally Posted by John Bear

There was a time when Columbia Pacific University was clearly illegal under Florida law, and when former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson had accepted a Columbia Pacific honorary doctorate (and spoken at their UK commencement).

Several years later, it looked as if Wilson was coming to Florida to watch a launch at Cape Canaveral . . . and the plot was hatched to have someone make a citizens arrest as he stepped off the plane.

And how well did that plot work out?

Sounds like a good thing to me. DETC doesn't even let themselves hand out Ph.Ds so it rather jives with their mission anyway.