Diaz slams Education Secretary Cardona over ‘problem’ with politics, porn staying out of classroom

Published Mar. 16, 2023, 3:29 p.m. ET | Updated Mar. 16, 2023

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. launches the 2023 Space Art contest, Miami, Fla., March 14, 2023. (Photo/@SenMannyDiazJr, Twitter)
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. launches the 2023 Space Art contest, Miami, Fla., March 14, 2023. (Photo/@SenMannyDiazJr, Twitter)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (FLV) – Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said he questions U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s role if he has a “problem” with politics and pornography not being in the classroom.

The comment come after Cardona published a Tampa Bay Times opinion piece about politicians “banning books.”

“@SecCardona should stay in D.C.,” Diaz said.

“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.”

“Ironically, some of the very politicians who claim to promote freedom are banning books and censoring what students can learn,” Cardona said in the article.

In March 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that requires curriculum transparency, targeting explicit books in schools. 

In 2022, he also signed the Parental Rights in Education Act, which some activists falsely dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”

The law prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain lower grade levels.

“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,” Cardona said.

The governor put the bills into action, rejecting and banning certain textbooks and books that push critical race theory, sexual ideology, and sexually explicit materials in schools.

Earlier in March, during a press conference, DeSantis released a video showing graphic content found in school library books.

The videos are in response to claims that the administration is banning books.

The governor’s announcement came after a viral video showed a Duval County school with empty bookshelves following a new Florida law. The law requires media specialists to go through approved training to brush up on Florida law before approving books for classrooms and libraries.

The video led to a frenzy of people believing the state was banning mass amounts of books, even though the DeSantis administration said it was attempting to protect students from pornographic books.

In February, Diaz thanked a Manatee County School Board Member Chad Choate on Twitter for 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,” Diaz said.

Diaz corrected host of WJCT Public Media Melissa Ross in January after she shared “Florida teachers must now remove all “unvetted” books from their classroom libraries or face felony prosecution.”

“More fake news from media activists too lazy to read FL law,” Diaz said. “A teacher (or any adult) faces a felony if they knowingly distribute egregious material, such as images which depict sexual conduct, sexual battery, bestiality, or sadomasochistic abuse. Who could be against that?”

In January, the DeSantis administration rejected the College Board’s AP African American Studies course, citing critical race theory and an injection of political ideology.

DeSantis said the class is being used as an “ideology” that’s “under the guise of history.”

“We want to do history,” he said. “That’s what our standards for, for black history are. It’s just cut and dried history. You learn all the basics, you learn about the great figures and you know, I view it as American history. I don’t view it as separate history.”

Florida law requires students learn about African American history in K-12 education including slavery, abolition, and the history and contributions of Americans of the African diaspora to society.

“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,” Cardona said in the opinion piece.

Diaz responded to a reporter on Twitter in January who shared a quote from Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, that read: “There are 2.8 million students sitting in Florida public schools right now knowing their governor does not want them to learn about Black history.”

“WRONG,” Diaz said. “Those 2.8 million students are REQUIRED BY LAW to learn African American history. They are not, however, required to learn about queer theory and other forms of one-sided indoctrination.”

In Cardona’s opinion piece, he said President Joe Biden’s administration has “put forward real policies” that give schools and students the “funding and support they need to succeed.”

“While some politicians sow chaos in the classroom, the Biden-Harris team is equipping schools and kids with the resources they need,” Cardona said.

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