How Ron DeSantis' 'unprecedented' crackdown on Florida’s school districts is helping the far-right

02 September 2022

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has launched a strategic attack on Florida’s school districts as he fights to ban books and push back against Critical Race Theory (CRT).

According to HuffPost, DeSantis "took the unprecedented step of endorsing school board candidates in dozens of different districts across the state. Of the 29 candidates he vouched for, 25 of them were successful or headed to run-offs — even in blue counties."

Per the news outlet, DeSantis' influence on nonpartisan election races ties into what he describes as his "education agenda.”

The news outlet also noted: "While he’s counting on making public education a cornerstone in his reelection campaign against Democrat Charlie Crist, his agenda is clearly less about classroom learning or teacher pay, and more about remaking the schools into a haven for right-wing extremists."

For many Democratic leaders, lawmakers, education professionals, and academic advocates, DeSantis' actions are troubling.

“This governor has made it very clear that his intent is to push a certain ideology into our schools,” said Andrew Spar, who is president of the Florida Education Association.

And the Republican governor is not holding back. “Florida’s school boards need members who will defend our students and stand up for parental rights and will ensure Florida’s children are protected from woke ideology in their classrooms,” DeSantis said at a campaign event last month. “I am proud to stand by each of them.”

She also noted the subsequent aftermath of these laws and how they could ultimately impact the lives of teachers and students.

"Students will lose access to books about people who look like them or may be different from them,” Young said. “They’ll lose access to the ability to discuss complex issues. It’s ultimately an attack on teachers and an attack on education.”

However, DeSantis' approach to education is quite unconventional and Democrats are expressing concern about it.

“To my knowledge, we’ve not seen a governor travel the state and hold rallies for local races other than for the state legislature,” said Andrea Messina, CEO of the Florida School Boards Association. “I’ve not seen that level of involvement and engagement from the executive office until this year.”

Others have expressed concern about this becoming a pattern of behavior.

“I would hope in the future that we don’t see governors interfering in local school board elections and using them for culture wars ― but that’s what’s happening right now,” Robin Taub Williams, the president of the Democratic Public Education Caucus of Manasota said.

Laurie Rich Levinson, who was the Broward County school board chairperson until the time of her suspension, also weighed in with critical remarks about DeSantis.

She noted that she and the other board members who had been removed had been elected by the people. But the governor removed and replaced them with handpicked individuals to finish out the term until the November midterm election.

“All four board members were elected by the people multiple times, including post tragedy,” Levinson said in a statement. “My heart will always go out to all the families and community.

“What Governor DeSantis did is un-American and undemocratic,” she said. “He doesn’t care about democracy and overturned the will of the voters.”

“We’re facing a critical time in public education,” Spar said. “And it’s my hope that voters in Florida vote to reject the attempt to disrupt public education and vilify our teachers.”

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