During his time as Governor, Ron DeSantis has been fairly successful in controlling what can and cannot be taught in the Florida classroom, but it would seem his reign over education may be coming to an end as Floridians deal a massive blow to his influence.
Gaining Influence Through School Boards
One of the most important ways Governor DeSantis has been able to increase his influence in schools is by getting his supporters elected onto different Florida school boards.
2022: A Year of DeSantis-Endorsed Wins
In the 2022 election for Florida school boards, having an endorsement from Governor DeSantis meant you were almost guaranteed to be elected into your desired position.
2023 Election Shows Sharp Contrast
However, this year’s Florida school board election has had a sharp contrast to the previous election, with very few of DeSantis’s candidates being voted in.
DeSantis-Endorsed Candidates Fall Short
Only six out of the twenty-three candidates DeSantis endorsed actually made it onto school boards, and six more will have to campaign in runoff elections.
Potential Decline in DeSantis’s Influence
The outcome of these elections could mean that DeSantis’s influence over the Florida population is waning, but the only certainty is his loss of influence over Florida education.
DeSantis Remains Unyielding
Despite this loss, DeSantis seems undeterred in his mission to spread his conservative ideology and agenda throughout the Florida school system.
DeSantis Defends His Education Agenda
In a speech after the votes, DeSantis said, “We want to support school board candidates in whatever capacity we can that believe in putting students first, that respect the rights of parents, and that believe schools should educate not indoctrinate.”
DeSantis’s Stance on Education
When it comes to education, DeSantis thinks, “That really shouldn’t even be debatable, but it is now, just given where some of the people wanna take education.”
Incumbent Celebrates Common Sense Victory
However, one incumbent who defeated another candidate endorsed by DeSantis says this is a great sign of the times and that people simply want “common sense.”
“People Want Sanity”
The incumbent and new School Board electee said, “People want sanity. People want common sense. And people believe we should educate everyone.”
DeSantis’s Focus on Parental Rights
Over the last few years, DeSantis has tried to influence the Florida education system to be more focused on the rights of parents alongside a wide variety of book bans.
Criticism of Parental Rights Movements
However, Maya Henson Carey, a research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said, “Parental rights movements don’t last forever.”
Temporary Impact of Parental Rights
She went on to say, “It’s splashy at first, but then people wake up to the actual narratives they’re pushing.”
Voter Attention in School Board Races
At the same time, Carey thinks these election results show, “They were able to take advantage of the fact that people weren’t paying attention to school board races.”
DeSantis Appoints Defeated Candidate
Despite the struggle DeSantis appointees faced, he was able to bypass this problem with one candidate who lost the school board election and will now be serving on the Florida Board of Education.
Foganholi’s Appointment After Defeat
Daniel Foganholi, a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Brazil to Florida, lost his School Board race but was then almost immediately appointed to the Florida Board of Education.
Foganholi’s History of DeSantis Appointments
This was not Foganholi’s first time holding a public office; however, he obtained those positions in a similar fashion when DeSantis appointed him to the Broward County School Board two separate times.
Foganholi’s New Role After Election Loss
Now, Foganholi has been appointed to the Florida Board of Education after he placed third in a three-way race for a Broward County School Board seat.
Moms for Liberty Faces Limited Success
The far-right group and supporters of DeSantis, Moms for Liberty, also saw limited success in the Florida School Board election, with only seven of their 14 candidates winning.
21 Ignorant Lies About Americans the Rest of the World Claims Are True
Americans are often the subject of wild assumptions and exaggerated stereotypes. Are these misconceptions affecting how the world views the average American? 21 Ignorant Lies About Americans the Rest of the World Claims Are True
Flawed Gender Tests: Olympic Committee Sends Plea to Boxing Officials
The International Olympic Committee has declared old boxing gender tests as flawed and illegitimate. This has arisen amid discussions regarding gender in Olympic female boxing matches. Flawed Gender Tests: Olympic Committee Sends Plea to Boxing Officials
Social Security Sham: 18 States Slashing Benefits
When you think about retiring, you might picture relaxing and traveling during your golden years. Social Security benefits help with this, but taxes can change depending on where you live. In some states, you might end up paying more taxes on your benefits. Let’s check out the 18 states where retirees face higher taxes on their Social Security benefits. It’s important to know so you can plan ahead and make the most of your retirement savings. Social Security Sham: 18 States Slashing Benefits
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Andrew Cline.
The images used are for illustrative purposes only and may not represent the actual people or places mentioned in the article.
