Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. responded to an op-ed by U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cordona, slamming him for having a ‘problem’ keeping politics and pornography away from children.
“In Florida, we’re ensuring politics and pornography have no place in the classroom. If you have a problem with that, I question your ability to effectively serve America’s teachers and students.”
.@SecCardona should stay in D.C.
In Florida, we’re ensuring politics and pornography have no place in the classroom.
If you have a problem with that, I question your ability to effectively serve America’s teachers and students. https://t.co/InMKHLWxWM
— Manny Diaz Jr. (@SenMannyDiazJr) March 16, 2023
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Cardona wrote in the Tampa Bay Times that parents aren’t on board with politicians dictating curriculum and values over their own interests.
“As U.S. secretary of education, as well as a father and lifelong educator, here’s what I know to be true: Parents don’t want politicians dictating what their children can learn, think and believe. That’s not how public education is supposed to work in a free country. The parents, families, teachers and school leaders I have met while visiting more than 40 states over the last two years are saying this loud and clear. Parents also are speaking out about their worries that politicians are using our kids’ education as a political football.”
Cordona tried to frame this attack as a point against DeSantis and Florida’s education policies, but the record makes this a hard case.
In March 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that mandates curriculum transparency in schools, specifically sexually explicit content.
He also signed the Parental rights in education act, which some have falsely dubbed as the “Don’t Say Gay” for banning discussing sexual orientation and gender with students in the third grade and mandating age-appropriate discussion of the topics for older students.
Christina Pushaw pointed out on Twitter the irony of Cardona, a federal politician, calling for his preferences on curriculum to be enforced over the local preference.
“…politicians shouldn’t tell children what to learn, think and believe” … is @SecCardona arguing to get rid of his own job and the US Department of Education?”
"politicians shouldn't tell children what to learn, think and believe" … is @SecCardona arguing to get rid of his own job and the US Department of Education?
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) March 16, 2023
Despite this, Cardona isn’t alone in his interpretation of Florida policy. DeSantis has been accused of broad-scale book banning before and even hit with a now-debunked video of bare bookshelves in a Manatee county school.
In February, Diaz thanked a Manatee county school board member for setting the record straight.
“Thank you for showing leadership and putting to rest the false narratives surrounding classroom libraries. It’s unfortunate that certain media continue to spread lies and scare teachers for no reason.”
Thank you for showing leadership and putting to rest the false narratives surrounding classroom libraries.
It’s unfortunate that certain media continue to spread lies and scare teachers for no reason. https://t.co/zhj6GYbdjs
— Manny Diaz Jr. (@SenMannyDiazJr) February 1, 2023
Cardona also argued that the Florida policy bans the proper teaching of history, riffing off DeSantis’s with the College Board’s new A.P. course, African American studies.
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“It’s heartbreaking, for example, to see politicians trying to prevent students from learning about the history, arts and culture, contributions and experiences of African Americans — especially when Black history is a vital part of our shared American story.”
However, DeSantis himself explained that this wasn’t the case, citing the “queer theory” and “intersectionality” in their course, along with other types of neo-marxism.
“And again, this is the proposed course, so our Department of Education looked at that and said, ‘In Florida we do education, not indoctrination. And so that runs afoul of our standards.”
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