UPDATE: Florida Commissioner of Education attacks Popular Information
popular.info
The Florida Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz Jr., lashed out at Popular Information's recent reporting on Florida classroom libraries, calling it "fake news from media activists too lazy to read [Florida] law." But Popular Information's reporting was completely accurate — and later confirmed by other outlets, including the
Thank you for this stunning reporting, Judd. That call for vigilante Woke Busters with their weapons blazing is really frightening, and there is no way for FL public school teachers to fight back. This is part of the right's attempt to end public schools where kids might actually learn something.
Anytime one of these right wing tools starts the complaint with "fake news" you know you have struck a nerve...and are spot on with your criticism. Well done! As for the teachers, I'd like to see a teacher at the late middle school or high school level lock their library behind chicken wire (or barbed wire for more realistic effect) but with books on verboten topics grouped together labeled with index cards, visible from outside the bars that start with "Governor DeSantis does not want you to read these books because you will learn about...". You have followed the law. Those books are inaccessible to students. But your students will have learned more than one lesson.
Thanks for continually speaking truth to power, backing it up with researched facts! I’m grateful to you for pushing back against the misinformation that’s running rampant through our media these days.
"...consider books by Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison pornography." Toni Morrison was [also] the Nobel Laureate for Literature in 1993. The Government of the State of Florida, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, his Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz, and a pliant State Legislature, is the obscenity; Orwellian doublespeak and distraction the means by which they seek to impose their authoritarian vision upon a deeply divided polity. We have seen this playbook before, and it did not end well.
To all who winter in Florida. I understand your desire to get out of the cold. I live in Chicago where it is currently 12 degrees, but please recognize that by spending discretionary time in Florida you are supporting their economy. An economy that is propped up by an authoritarian government. Please consider staying in a warm location where democracy, not autocracy reins.
A confluence of ignorance, vigilantism, authoritarianism, a little good old racism AND a hint of financial interest called Florida governance, ala Ron DeSantis aka De "RW" Santa aka Gov of Satan.
Well done, Judd Legum!!! I cannot get over the "woke busters", what a bunch of crazies. I think they need more to do, maybe they should read a book.
Florida is grooming teachers and children to accept authoritarian school censorship.
Thank you for this stunning reporting, Judd. That call for vigilante Woke Busters with their weapons blazing is really frightening, and there is no way for FL public school teachers to fight back. This is part of the right's attempt to end public schools where kids might actually learn something.
Kicking butt and taking names. Good job.
Just an aside.
I wonder if that photo used for Woke Busters of Ghost Busters is licensed?
Some how I think they should have to pay for it.
Thinking out loud. Cannot imagine that say, Bill Murray would want his pic associated with book banning.
Anytime one of these right wing tools starts the complaint with "fake news" you know you have struck a nerve...and are spot on with your criticism. Well done! As for the teachers, I'd like to see a teacher at the late middle school or high school level lock their library behind chicken wire (or barbed wire for more realistic effect) but with books on verboten topics grouped together labeled with index cards, visible from outside the bars that start with "Governor DeSantis does not want you to read these books because you will learn about...". You have followed the law. Those books are inaccessible to students. But your students will have learned more than one lesson.
Diaz is moronic enough to use the term “fake news”. The fakery evidently is of his own making. Another case of projection amounting to confession.
Mr. Diaz's use of the phrase "common sense" feels ironic, as there is nothing common or sensible about the DeSantis regime.
Thanks for continually speaking truth to power, backing it up with researched facts! I’m grateful to you for pushing back against the misinformation that’s running rampant through our media these days.
"...consider books by Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison pornography." Toni Morrison was [also] the Nobel Laureate for Literature in 1993. The Government of the State of Florida, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, his Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz, and a pliant State Legislature, is the obscenity; Orwellian doublespeak and distraction the means by which they seek to impose their authoritarian vision upon a deeply divided polity. We have seen this playbook before, and it did not end well.
Judd, you are doing something right if you make them squeal- so far you are REALLY right.
Why not just call these religious nuts what they are, which is to say, American Taliban?
To all who winter in Florida. I understand your desire to get out of the cold. I live in Chicago where it is currently 12 degrees, but please recognize that by spending discretionary time in Florida you are supporting their economy. An economy that is propped up by an authoritarian government. Please consider staying in a warm location where democracy, not autocracy reins.
Just when you thought they had touched bottom in Flori-duh.
I cannot imagine sending my children to a public school in Flori-duh. So, cannot imagine living there with school age children.
I can also not imagine working as a public school teacher in that feckless wasteland of fascist politicians.
Thank you for relentlessly pursuing this. I'm so tired of right-wing lies and manipulation of facts. Don't let them off the hook!
So D’ Santis and his henchman Manny Diaz, Commissioner of Education in Florida are drowning in their own BS.
These students in Florida are not getting an education , but an indoctrination in far right biases in Education .
A confluence of ignorance, vigilantism, authoritarianism, a little good old racism AND a hint of financial interest called Florida governance, ala Ron DeSantis aka De "RW" Santa aka Gov of Satan.