Although the school board races are nonpartisan, Florida Republicans are turning these into battlegrounds during this election season.
Lt. Gov. Jeannette Nunez is leading the charge for change. She said Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to make sure parents are not kept “out of the equation” and that the school districts are held accountable.
“Parents are paying attention. For once, they have started to look at who their school board members are,” Nunez said. “For a long time, they flew under the radar.”
Republicans passed state legislation affecting policies related to education on sexual identity and racism. DeSantis also opposed face mask mandates at public schools during the pandemic. His administration docked defiant board members’ salaries.
“When you see so many parents leaving, homeschooling, traditional public schools are going to charter schools, they are going to private schools, I think they need to answer for that,” Nunez said.
In June, DeSantis announced he was running a survey to gauge if the state’s school board candidates align with his “education agenda.”
Some of the questions include “Does CRT (critical race theory) belong in K-12 public education classrooms in Florida?” and “How will you protect a parent’s right to publicly disagree with their school board?”
The strategy includes supporting opponents to school board incumbents. In Miami-Dade County, there is a veteran teacher, and a former staffer for the lieutenant governor. In Broward County, the governor’s appointee was a furniture designer and parent.
“A parent is probably the most important perspective to bring to the school board,” Nunez said.
DeSantis is up for reelection in November.
Continue reading...
Lt. Gov. Jeannette Nunez is leading the charge for change. She said Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to make sure parents are not kept “out of the equation” and that the school districts are held accountable.
“Parents are paying attention. For once, they have started to look at who their school board members are,” Nunez said. “For a long time, they flew under the radar.”
Republicans passed state legislation affecting policies related to education on sexual identity and racism. DeSantis also opposed face mask mandates at public schools during the pandemic. His administration docked defiant board members’ salaries.
“When you see so many parents leaving, homeschooling, traditional public schools are going to charter schools, they are going to private schools, I think they need to answer for that,” Nunez said.
In June, DeSantis announced he was running a survey to gauge if the state’s school board candidates align with his “education agenda.”
Some of the questions include “Does CRT (critical race theory) belong in K-12 public education classrooms in Florida?” and “How will you protect a parent’s right to publicly disagree with their school board?”
The strategy includes supporting opponents to school board incumbents. In Miami-Dade County, there is a veteran teacher, and a former staffer for the lieutenant governor. In Broward County, the governor’s appointee was a furniture designer and parent.
“A parent is probably the most important perspective to bring to the school board,” Nunez said.
DeSantis is up for reelection in November.
Continue reading...
