You have to admire the marketing spin of Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz. On the day the Tampa Bay Times reports the Hillsborough County School District will only teach excerpts of “Romeo & Juliet,” Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. makes Shakespeare’s play a Book of the Month selection for 9-12 grades.
- This was the first month that Commissioner Diaz made two selections of any grade level. See what I mean by “marketing spin?”
Press Release
Today, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. announced August’s chosen books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month, a monthly reading challenge to promote literacy and reading engagement in pre K-12 schools. Each month, Commissioner Diaz highlights recommended books.
“As students and educators head back to the classroom, it is crucial to remember reading is the foundation for all learning,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “This month’s book recommendations provide a variety of reading materials that students will find uplifting and will spark a love for literacy.”
The Commissioner’s recommendations for August 2023 are:
PreK – My Florida Alphabet by Russell W. Johnson and Annie P. Johnson
K-2 – Groovy Joe: Ice Cream & Dinosaurs by Eric Litwin
3-5 – The Magician’s Hat by Malcolm Mitchell
6-8 – Fins by Randy Wayne White
9-12 – Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington
9-12 – Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Photo by Maksym Harbar on Unsplash
