Florida education commissioner debunks claim schools need ‘permission slip’ for Black history

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. fired back at outrage from a report that a Miami-Dade County school was sending out permission slips for students to be taught about African American and Black history.

Guest speaker events and extracurriculars in Florida’s public schools require permission slips, regardless of the topic, under state rules passed last year.

A parent, Chuck Walter, said he had to give his permission for his child to participate in what the slip described as students listening “to a book written by an African American.” The event was titled “Read Aloud.”

The form was entitled to address “school-sponsored activities, events, and supplemental programs.”