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

Yes-No-Maybe?

Would GSST (www.goldenstate.edu) fall within the "religious exemption" clause, especially in Florida??

Yes-No-Maybe??

Thanks & Happy 2009!!

 

No, this was going back several years. I wish I could remember the guys name.

Abner

 

Thanks Abner but I'm still curious as whether GSST (www.goldenstate.edu) would fall within the "religious exemption" clause, especially in Florida??

Yes-No-Maybe??

 

Considering they only offer religious degrees, I would guess the answer is yes. Just don't call me to bail you out if I'm wrong.

A call/e-mail to the FL Attorney General is probably in order.

 

Good idea indeed....

 

I agree. It is always good to double check though.

Abner

 

Not that I disagree with what Bruce and Abner have said but my suggestion is that if one is at all concerned about using a degree then it is probably a bad idea to use the degree. Staying out of jail should be least of one's concerns when one is using a degree. Having people laughing at you behind your back should be a much greater concern.

 

OK. Wait a minute. There's a few different possibilities here.

1. I stay out of jail and no one laughs.
2. I stay out of jail with people laughing.
3. I go to jail and no one laughs.
4. (the randock route) I go to jail with people laughing.

Of course, #4 is the total loser, and #1 is the total winner. I'd like to take #3 off the table. I'm not going to jail regardless of the laughter factor. So then you're left with #2. How many people are laughing and just how hard are they laughing? Who are these people? My neighbors? My co-workers? My bosses? (I've got ALOT of bosses). OK, that's too much trouble. It will be a lot simpler in the long run just to go with whatever will get me into situation #1.

 

No it isn't ... law found unconstitutional.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/27/State/Degree_inspires_littl.shtml

I checked the law in 1997 and now and its the same wording and this law ,from my further investigations, was declared unconstitutional the law is on the books but as of yet unenforceable. So you can use the title Doctor as far as I can tell as long as you hold any degree granting that title accredited or not I would suspect. At least it would be hard to take someone to court since they could not use this law until its corrected to pass the courts problems with it which I don't think was done yet.

As for religious degrees as far as I know even Oregon allows that exemption its a First Amendment issue that is not likely to be attacked with a law.

I will note also excluded are any credential not a degree one could hold a diploma that is not a degree I would think, for example if a school offered a Diploma of Letters (Dipl.L) or something. Its hard to pin down a credential not a degree title like BA or MA or a Ph.D. if one offered a Senior Diploma of Letters (SDipl.L) instead of a graduate degree, what state could pin that down? They have diplomas in all sorts of things not an academic credential and it sounds rather nice a Senior Diploma of Letters, one could have a schools web site explain what that is for curious employers. Something vague enough to be respectable so its not treated to a certain degree - overtly.

For any law there is likely a way around that if clever.

 

The 1989 law was declared unconstitutional in 1995. The 1997 law is, most likely, a revised version of the law that was declared unconstitutional. If I knew the case number, I could look up the decision on PACER and provide a definitive answer.

 

I would tell you if I could find out I'm still looking when I can. I generally always didn't like the government decided academic titles as far as I can tell the misuse of a medical degree title is already illegal, if the party is acting in the manner of a licensed professional and using a degree to defraud and the like. So why determine the unrelated degrees as fraud when they are in non-medical or similar areas to medicine, can't an employer or other party go online and find out if they want to accept this degree if its from an unaccredited school.

But we Libertarians think the government should stay out of such private matters between employer and the individual. And in the information age we are in its not that hard to investigate a school now is it one could argue such laws might have served a purpose years ago, but now. If an employer demands an accredited degree under the school attended I would just put such a degree under "Other Education or Training" noting its unaccredited. If its a school with real work then where is the shame? [I'm not talking any of the "life experience" degree mills more like Clayton University when they first started years ago.]

 

How about this one??

Would SFBC (www.sfbc.edu) fall within the "religious exemption" clause, especially in Florida??

At present, SFBC is also a candidate for ABHE accreditation too.

Yes-No-Maybe??

Thanks!

 

According to SFBC, it is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education of the Florida Department of Education.

According to the Florida law on "Making false claims of academic degree or title," a degree from any state-licensed school is considered valid, as per subsection (1)(d). This includes doctoral degrees, as per subsection (2).

So SFBC degrees would be valid in Florida, even without accreditation or a religious exemption. Since SFBC holds official "candidate" status with ABHE, a USDoE-recognized accreditation agency, their degrees should be generally accepted as valid outside Florida as well.

In the event that SFBC is rejected for ABHE accreditation, then their degrees would still be valid in Florida, since they are state-licensed. But the level of acceptance outside Florida would probably drop.

 

Its a religious degree granter so few if any states would ban the use of the title Doctor but I would favor the more religious use of Rev. Dr for ones title.

 

You could contact the Florida CIE and ask if that school is registered as a religious institution with them.

Commission for Independent Education
Phone: (850) 245-3200
Fax: (850) 245-3233
[email protected]

 

Below is the section of FL law that addresses religious colleges and their requirement to verify annually with the CIE.


(f) A religious college may operate without governmental oversight if the college annually verifies by sworn affidavit to the commission that:

1. The name of the institution includes a religious modifier or the name of a religious patriarch, saint, person, or symbol of the church.

2. The institution offers only educational programs that prepare students for religious vocations as ministers, professionals, or laypersons in the categories of ministry, counseling, theology, education, administration, music, fine arts, media communications, or social work.

3. The titles of degrees issued by the institution cannot be confused with secular degree titles. For this purpose, each degree title must include a religious modifier that immediately precedes, or is included within, any of the following degrees: Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Education. The religious modifier must be placed on the title line of the degree, on the transcript, and whenever the title of the degree appears in official school documents or publications.

4. The duration of all degree programs offered by the institution is consistent with the standards of the commission.

5. The institution's consumer practices are consistent with those required by s. 1005.04.

The commission may provide such a religious institution a letter stating that the institution has met the requirements of state law and is not subject to governmental oversight.

 

It seems SFBC is listed the FL CIE search site.


The below searches will assist you in finding information on nonpublic postsecondary schools and colleges. The institutions listed have met the requirements of the Commission for Independent Education to operate a nonpublic postsecondary school/college in the state of Florida.

https://app1.fldoe.org/cie/SearchSchools/Default.aspx

 

So when all is said and done, SFBC qualifies for:

1. The religious exemption (here in Florida)

2. Is also licensed by the State of Florida

3. Seems to be held in good standing with the ABHE towards full accreditation which will be recognized by CHEA/USDoEd.

 

It appears that way.

Peace123

 

ShotoJuku,

This is the response I received from my State Ed Dept. when I inquired about "legally" using my Bachelors degree received from a Religious Exempt College in FL.


"Generally, an individual may accept a degree conferred by an institution legally authorized to award that degree by the state in which it is located, whether or not the institution has accreditation by a recognized accrediting agency, without violating Education Law §224(4)."


and this is the section they were referring to:
4. No diploma or degree shall be conferred in this state except by a
regularly organized institution of learning meeting all requirements of
law and of the university, nor shall any person, with intent to deceive,
falsely represent himself to have received any such degree or
credential, nor shall any person append to his name any letters in the
same form registered by the regents as entitled to the protection
accorded to university degrees, unless he shall have received from a
duly authorized institution the degree or certificate for which the
letters are registered. Counterfeiting or falsely or without authority
making or altering in a material respect any such credential issued
under seal shall be a felony; any other violation of this section shall
be a misdemeanor; and any person who aids or abets another, or
advertises or offers himself to violate the provisions of this section,
shall be liable to the same penalties.


(FYI - I live in NY)

Peace123