Latest news with #UniversityofWestFlorida
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida education officials grill Hillsborough superintendent over LGBTQ+ books in schools
State Board of Education members recently grilled Hillsborough County's public schools superintendent after state officials condemned books in his district's schools that they called "pornographic." Superintendent Van Ayres was called to the June 4 board meeting after receiving a letter from Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. At issue: The books "Call Me By Your Name" and "Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)," which both involve LGBTQ+ themes. Diaz, who is in line to become the next president of the University of West Florida, said they were "pornographic and inappropriate books." According to the book's publishers, "Call Me by Your Name" is the "story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents' cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera," and "Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)" is "about an unapologetically queer teen working to uncover a blackmailer threatening him back into the closet." "Unfortunately, your lack of leadership regarding the selection, approval and maintenance of library media materials continues to put children at risk and undermines parental rights," Diaz wrote in his May 9 letter to Ayres, who has led the district – the seventh largest in the U.S. – since November 2023. Florida's public schools have seen a significant increase in book removals, driven by legislation that empowers parents to challenge materials they consider inappropriate, leading to the removal of thousands of books that address LGBTQ+ themes, race, or even classic literature. It's sparked a national controversy, with critics arguing that such moves constitute censorship and violate First Amendment rights, prompting lawsuits from authors, publishers, and advocacy groups. In Hillsborough County, more than 600 books were removed from circulation in mid-May, after state officials – including Diaz and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier – pressured school districts. Those books included the two mentioned by Diaz. In heated questioning, board members asked Ayres why these books were not flagged sooner. But Ayres said "inappropriate materials will absolutely not be in our libraries, and it does not take a process for us to do that." Banned book list: Hundreds of books pulled from Florida schools listed in new DOE release. Here are the titles Board member Ryan Petty countered: "These are nasty, disgusting books that have no place in a school in Florida. Please help me understand what your review process is, because it took me less than five minutes to realize these books violate the statute and they should not be in our schools." Ayres said he removed the books specifically named by Uthmeier and Diaz in their letters in "an abundance of caution." Stephana Ferrell with Florida Freedom to Read, a group that advocates for book access, told board members she was troubled with them only reading one-page excerpts about the books instead of trusting media specialists who read and analyze them in their entirety. Ferrell added that her group is OK with a book going through the objection process "so long that it is considered in its entirety for literary, artistic, scientific and political value." She said the problem is when it's considered only by "standards set by the state." From the archives: Which books are allowed? Varied interpretations of Florida law lead to confusion at schools "This is not about parental rights," Ferrell said. "This is about state control and this idea that our libraries are government speech, that they can regulate and decide what's available based on their own viewpoints." In November, the Florida Department of Education released a list of about 700 books that were "removed or discontinued" from public schools in the 2023-2024 school year. The list is in accordance with state law from 2022, which increased regulation of school library books. The state education board approved a rule to publish an annual list in 2023 to provide "transparency" to families. Both "Call Me By Your Name" and "Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts)" are on the list. These actions also follow Florida's record of having the most book bans in the nation, according to PEN America in November. The free speech group's report at that time had more than 4,500 instances of books being removed from classroom libraries, removed pending a review or restricted based on grade or parental permission. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@ On X: @stephanymatat. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Hillsborough superintendent in hot water over LGBTQ+ titles in schools
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
DeSantis aide Anastasios Kamoutsas elevated to Education Commissioner
The Turlington Building, which houses the Florida Department of Education, stands in the foreground, with the Tallahassee skyline, including the Capitol building, beyond. Photo taken from the FAMU campus on Dec. 31, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) Anastasios Kamoutsas, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Ron DeSantis, received unanimous approval from the Florida Board of Education Wednesday to serve as the state's next education commissioner. Florida's education commissioner plays a major role shaping education policy in a state that has drawn national attention for its contentious policies on library book removals, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'If given this opportunity, you can rest assured that I will take the baton and continue to run the race,' Kamoutsas told the Board of Education Wednesday morning. Education commissioner to leave post, become interim president at University of West Florida He started at the Department of Education in 2019, serving as general counsel and eventually as chief of staff, before joining the governor's office in 2023. DeSantis came out in full support of Kamoutsas Tuesday, saying 'Stasi Kamoutsas has delivered on important issues like parental rights, school choice, and fighting back against radical ideologies in education.' The job opened after Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. was named interim president of the University of West Florida. He will take that job in July, making Wednesday's meeting likely his last as commissioner. Kamoutsas' approval as commissioner is contingent on Diaz being named the official president of UWF after a search, board Chair Ben Gibson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'A lot of times in these situations, we are taking somewhat of a leap of faith in having a commissioner come in, … Here we have an opportunity, members, I believe, to choose someone we don't have to guess, really, how they're going to perform,' Gibson said. 'And someone who's been in the trenches at every level of the department, has been involved in every major education decision that the state of Florida has made over the last six years.' During the public comment period, political figures lined up to praise Kamoutsas, including Florida International University President and former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, New College of Florida President and former Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, former House Speaker Jose Oliva, and Broward County College President Torey Alston. 'If I had to use one world to describe him, I'd say he's relentless,' Oliva said, while others praised him for his work ethic and family values. 'What's been the gem that's been hiding in the background is coming public,' Diaz said, attesting to Kamoutsas' involvement in previous policies and actions by the department. 'He understands that history because he's been present for a good amount of it inside the department, inside the governor's office, but he's heard the battle stories from President Corcoran, from Speaker Oliva, from Chancellor [Ray] Rodrigues, from myself, so he understands the history and where we came from in this reform, and he's perfectly equipped and willing to continue it,' Diaz said. In addition to pledging to fight for parental involvement in the education system, Kamoutsas appealed to teachers, too. 'Teachers, you have my word that I stand in support of you. Whether that's maintaining discipline in your classrooms or working with the governor on continued pay increases, know that I have your back,' Kamoutsas said. The Washington Post reported in 2023 that Kamoutsas, who worked in the governor's office, was responsible for denying a pending promotion to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement attorney who advocated for the governor's travel records to be public. The attorney 'was not on our team,' the paper reported Kamoutsas as saying. The push to hide details of the governor's travel records came before DeSantis ran to be the GOP nominee for U.S. president. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
6 days ago
- General
Top DeSantis aide named next Florida education commissioner
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida Board of Education has tapped a top aide of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to be the state's next education commissioner, a choice meant to influence K-12 and higher education policy in the state while bolstering a conservative legacy that could long outlast the governor's time in office. The board voted unanimously Wednesday to appoint Anastasios Kamoutsas, a deputy chief of staff to the governor. The job opened up after Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, a former Republican state lawmaker, was named interim president of the University of West Florida. Kamoutsas' appointment is contingent on Diaz being named the permanent president of UWF. 'Student safety and achievement will be my top priorities," Kamoutsas said. "Parents will continue to be empowered. And teachers, you have my word that I stand in support of you.' Kamoutsas previously served as general counsel and chief staff at the state's Education Department, before moving to the governor's office. 'Stasi Kamoutsas has delivered on important issues like parental rights, school choice, and fighting back against radical ideologies in education,' DeSantis said in a statement. 'I am confident that he will continue to serve our state well as the next Commissioner of Education.' Kamoutsas is expected to help carry out DeSantis' conservative education agenda, from banning public funds for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, to restricting how schools teach about race and history, and dramatically expanding the state's school voucher system, which provides billions in public funds for scholarships to private and religious schools. Among those who lauded Kamoutsas at Wednesday's meeting was former Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran, who has overseen what critics describe as the 'hostile takeover' of New College of Florida. He's among the slate of Republican former state lawmakers who are now helming state colleges and universities. 'Every single major decision, I don't care if it was elimination of DEI, critical race theory, opening schools, demasking students, changing higher education, Stasi has been in that room, every single time,' Corcoran said. 'And not just as a participant. He's been in the room as a leader.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Who will be Florida's next education commissioner?
The big story: Floridians won't have to wait long to find out who will be Florida's next education commissioner. State Board of Education chairperson Ben Gibson has added an item to the board's June 4 agenda for a discussion on how to replace Manny Diaz Jr., who was chosen to lead the University of West Florida earlier this week. Speculation is running high among education advocates and activists as to who might take the commissioner post, which lately has been a high profile bully pulpit for Gov. Ron DeSantis' agenda including support for vouchers and opposition to diversity programs. Florida has been among the acknowledged leaders in setting the national education agenda for several years. But only a few names have circulated, with one DeSantis staffer — deputy chief of staff Anastasios Kamoutsas — getting mentioned frequently. The board agenda gives no clues, as it includes no attachments for 'Consideration of the Appointment of Commissioner of Education.' Gibson did not respond to an email asking who might be under consideration. The State Board, which is filled with DeSantis appointees, is responsible for choosing the commissioner. Before DeSantis took office, the board would hold national searches for the job, taking the governor's advice into consideration. That process ended after the brief tenure of Tony Bennett, who came to Florida from Indiana's top education post in 2012 and left under a cloud less than a year later. Since then, the board has not held searches, instead looking to internal candidates or relying on the governor's choices. UF president search: Conservative opposition to the appointment of Santa Ono to lead the University of Florida gained steam, with Donald Trump Jr. the latest to join in. • Pushback against the selection of Marva Johnson, a DeSantis ally chosen as Florida A&M University's next president, continued to grow, WFSU reports. Student nutrition: With classes ending, Florida school districts are ramping up their summer food programs, Spectrum 13 reports. New schools: The Bay County school district plans to rebuild its K-8 school that serves the Tyndall Air Force Base, WMBB reports. Medical school: Tallahassee leaders are looking to the USF-Tampa General Hospital model for a possible future of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare connected to FSU, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Hurricane aftermath: Fort Myers Beach officials and residents discussed the future of the city's elementary school, which has not been used since being damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022, WGCU reports. Charter schools: An Alachua County charter school is appealing the school district's decision to rescind its contract, WCJB reports. Don't miss a story. Here's a link to yesterday's roundup. Before you go ... The Scripps National Spelling Bee is under way, with the finals set for tonight. Here's a flashback to winning Tampa speller Bruhat Soma's amazing spell-off from last year. This year, the region's contestant didn't make the finals.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
There's a push to make Manny Diaz Jr. interim president of University of West Florida
Just weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis told the University of West Florida to 'buckle up' for significant changes, multiple insiders say the Pensacola school will soon hire Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. as interim president. Sources say Diaz's appointment is expected to be finalized at a Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, with a start date in July. That timing would allow Diaz — who has served as the state's top education official since 2022 — to close out the fiscal year before stepping into the $536,000-a-year role. 'It's a done deal. It'll be Manny,' said one person close to UWF leadership, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive process of naming a replacement for longtime President Martha Saunders. 'It makes sense based on everything we've seen coming out of the DeSantis administration.' Diaz, a central architect of DeSantis' education agenda, would be the latest political ally to move into higher education leadership as the term-limited governor works to cement his legacy on the state's universities. Diaz, a Hialeah native and former teacher in the Miami-Dade public schools system, would also become the second Miami-Dade political insider this year to earn the top job at a state university after former Lieutenant Gov. Jeannette Nunez took over at Florida International University in February. When asked about his potential appointment at a Pensacola press conference on Friday, Diaz said he was open to taking on the job. 'What I'll tell you is that the board is clearly meeting,' he told reporters. 'That's a decision for the board to make, and if they were to call, I'd obviously be willing to have a conversation with them about that. But that's up to the Board of Trustees of the University of West Florida.' A UWF spokesperson didn't respond for comment on Friday. The appointment would come on the heels of a contentious shakeup at UWF since DeSantis installed a slate of new trustees earlier this year, some with close ties to national conservative organizations. The overhaul prompted swift bipartisan backlash from lawmakers and Escambia County locals, who raised concerns over some of the appointees' ties to national right-wing organizations and lack of familiarity with the community. Tensions came to a head during a May 8 trustee meeting when newly appointed board member Zack Smith, a fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, confronted Saunders over what he described as 'deeply troubling' university-sponsored programming, including two drag shows in 2019. Saunders, who had led the university since 2017, resigned days later. Behind the scenes, Diaz's name has quickly emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Saunders. State Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Pensacola Republican, told the Miami Herald that she has been advocating for Diaz for months in conversations with donors, local leaders and the governor's team — including Diaz. 'I hope the governor picks him,' said Salzman, who in the past has argued for limiting the governor's influence over selecting university presidents. Diaz has been a key player in reshaping Florida's education system, pushing policies that expanded school choice, curtailed diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and placing restrictions on discussions of gender identity and race in classrooms. The former Miami-Dade lawmaker played a central role in implementing new accreditation laws that give Tallahassee more sway over state universities, and pushed for the removal of sociology as a core course for college students, saying the subject had been 'hijacked by left-wing activists.' His appointment would follow a growing trend of politically aligned candidates taking the reins at Florida campuses — similar to the presidential appointments of former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse at the University of Florida, Adam Hasner at Florida Atlantic University and Richard Corcoran at New College of Florida. While Diaz is widely seen as the frontrunner for UWF's top job, several procedural steps remain before any appointment becomes official — or permanent. Under Florida law, university boards of trustees are tasked with conducting presidential searches, but any final candidate must be confirmed by the university system's Board of Governors. In 2022, lawmakers made those searches largely opaque by shielding finalists' names from public view until 21 days before a hire is made. That secrecy has raised alarms among some local lawmakers, including State Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican who has clashed with DeSantis in recent months over funding transparency in the First Lady's Hope Florida initiative. 'I think [Diaz] would do a fine job, but I don't think it's going to be an open process,' Andrade told the Miami Herald. 'I think it'll be pretty much baked — kind of similar to the UF situation where we're not going to have a slate in the competition for it. It'll be whoever DeSantis wants.' Andrade also pushed back on the governor's public claim last month that UWF had the 'most liberal programs in the state.' 'The whole claim that UWF is super liberal and that's why they needed to stack the board — it turned everybody off over here,' Andrade said. 'It's an inorganic, false argument to say the UWF is some bastion of liberal thought. I think ultimately what's motivating all of this is DeSantis wanted to have his hands on every single university in the state, and this was just the last one that he hadn't touched.'
