Governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign for parental rights may not have secured him the Republican presidential nomination, but he continues to push for this cause in Florida’s schools. With endorsements for 23 school board candidates across 14 counties and targeting 14 incumbent members, DeSantis aims to counter what he perceives as “woke” ideology in public schools. The political focus in these races revolves around parents’ rights, a movement sparked by opposition to pandemic precautions in schools and concerns about classroom instruction on identity, race, and history.
In Pinellas County, Katie Blaxberg is running for a seat on the school board amidst a contentious campaign. As a registered Republican and former legislative aide, Blaxberg supports school choice and parental involvement in classrooms but believes that the parents’ rights movement has taken things too far. She has faced online trolling, accusations of being a child abuser, and has had to increase security at her home due to threats from activists aligned with a conservative group called Moms for Liberty. The outcome of the upcoming elections in Pinellas could determine the political control of the district, historically known as a swing county that has been leaning to the right in recent years.
Conservative activists and elected officials, including Governor DeSantis, are working to gain majorities on local school boards in Florida. DeSantis has endorsed candidates aligned with Moms for Liberty, a conservative group pushing to influence school boards nationwide. The focus on parents’ rights and conservative values has gained traction in school board races, drawing attention from higher-level political figures like Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. Liberal advocacy groups have also emerged to counter conservative candidates and their messaging in school board races, reflecting a broader political divide in the state.
Critics of the conservative push for school board control warn of the impact of a right-leaning board on school districts, citing examples where newly elected members targeted superintendents and caused chaos. In Pinellas County, DeSantis-backed candidate Erika Picard supports the current superintendent despite concerns about the influence of conservative groups like Moms for Liberty. The debate over education policy and the influence of national political agendas on local school boards has sparked a wave of activism and counter-campaigns from both sides of the political spectrum.
In response to the growing influence of conservative candidates on school boards, liberal groups are mobilizing to support their own slate of candidates and push back against what they see as extremism in education policy. The Florida Democratic Party has put forward 11 school board candidates to counter the conservative push, while local activists like Jennifer Jenkins in Brevard County are launching PACs to support candidates aligned with their values. The clash over education policy and parental rights in Florida’s schools reflects a broader ideological divide playing out in local politics, with implications for the future of public education in the state.
