Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is making his mark on the education agenda in the state, even though he is not up for election this Tuesday. He is endorsing 23 school board candidates in 14 counties and hoping to replace 14 incumbent board members. The school board in Pinellas County is a focal point for conservatives, who are aiming to secure a majority in the historically swing county on Florida’s Gulf Coast. In recent years, the county has been leaning towards conservative views, with activists equating certain teaching materials to pornography and criticizing educators as “groomers.”
The ongoing political discussion in these races centers around “parental rights,” a topic crucial for both political parties vying for suburban women voters. The parental rights movement emerged from opposition to pandemic measures in schools and now involves concerns about classroom teachings on gender identity and racism. Florida’s new school board members will face the challenge of declining student enrollments, leading to debates on potential school closures and the management of school properties post-shutdown.
In Pinellas, three challengers – Stacy Geier, Danielle Marolf, and Erika Picard – backed by Governor DeSantis and Moms for Liberty, are seeking election. If successful, they would join two current members endorsed by Moms for Liberty, forming a majority on the nine-seat board. However, some residents believe that parental rights activists, particularly affiliated with Moms for Liberty, have crossed a line. School board candidate Katie Blaxberg, a Republican, has found herself at odds with Moms for Liberty and is competing against Geier for an open board seat. Activists linked to Moms for Liberty have criticized Blaxberg online, sharing personal details about her life.
Blaxberg, critical of the tactics used by these activists, emphasizes the spread of misinformation and distrust towards teachers is detrimental to the community. The chapter president of Moms for Liberty did not respond to requests for comments. The election results will determine the composition of the school boards in Florida, reflecting the ongoing debate on education policies and the influence of political endorsements in local races.
