DeSantis Makes Bold Move to Strengthen Conservative Influence on School Boards

Photo byPhoto by: Gage Skidmore

DeSantis is trying hard to associate the word freedom with the word conservative. Either through clever PR stunts or influencing education, he's leaping ahead with his objectives.

After his campaign assisted two dozen conservative candidates in winning this year's midterm elections, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants to continue using his political clout in school boards all around the Sunshine state.

This week, the Republican governor announced his intention to target local school boards in places like Broward and Hillsborough counties that have opposed Republican policies in an effort to convert additional seats from liberal to conservative-leaning.

And conservative-leaning is the new word for "freedom." Let's see why.

Punching down on school teachers

DeSantis called board members "obnoxious" for enacting mask requirements for students in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak, going against the wishes of the state and several parents.

“For too long, these school boards have not reflected the values of the communities that they were supposedly elected to serve,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis organized the "Freedom Blueprint" event as a training day for the school board members he supported this year and other possible candidates.

In the 2022 elections, DeSantis supported 30 conservative local school board candidates, helping them to win 24 races that are already influencing policies and making leadership changes. On Monday, he praised those accomplishments and vowed to continue winning; at one point, he asked the audience for suggestions on potential locations to "flip" seats in 2024.

DeSantis has been rearranging education for some time now

In recent years, the governor has changed the landscape of education in Florida by promoting bills like the Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as "Don't Say Gay," by opponents, which prohibits teachers from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation with students up through third grade.

Due to this legislation, Florida is now at the forefront of the national culture wars ahead of DeSantis' potential 2024 presidential run. The young Florida governor is winning on every front so far.

What do you think about DeSantis's move to influence school boards?

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