Only six School Board candidates backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated victories in Tuesday’s Primary.
Out of DeSantis’ 23 endorsed candidates, voters rejected 11 outright. Six others failed to get majority support, meaning they must face a General Election runoff. [Those rejected included Derek Barrs in Flagler County, who lost to Janie Ruddy, a Democratic-backed candidate.]
Republicans’ efforts to shape School Boards to be more conservative hit a roadblock in Tuesday’s elections as voters shot down many Moms for Liberty candidates.
“There were A LOT of uphill battles in historically blue districts today, but you don’t shift the culture by only supporting winnable races,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said on X on Election Night.
Meanwhile, seven of the 11 Florida Democratic Party (FDP)-supported School Board candidates won their Primaries statewide. Two others didn’t clear 50% of the vote, so they are going to run off elections.
“Our Take Back Local program has been a huge success,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “The Florida Democratic Party supported school board candidates across the state to fight back against Ron’s Moms for Liberty candidates and their partisan extremism.”
In Florida, School Board races are currently nonpartisan. But in reality, the School Board elections are increasingly political, with both parties offering endorsements and schools grappling with issues on race, gender and book bans.
In Hillsborough, the Democrats’ and DeSantis’ endorsements went head-to-head. The Democrat-backed candidates, who were the incumbents, won both races against the Republican challengers.
The Indian River County School played a role in the formation of the Moms for Liberty national movement. That’s where the group’s co-founder, Tiffany Justice, first ran for School Board. But in Tuesday’s election, both DeSantis-backed Robert MacCallum and Kevin McDonald lost.
Moms for Liberty spoke out against mask requirements during the pandemic and pushed for parents to have more control over books in school libraries. The group’s co-founder, Bridget Ziegler, who has since left the group but now serves on the Sarasota County School Board, was caught up in her husband’s sex scandal. One political scientist warned that would likely turn off voters.
In Sarasota County, Karen Rose, the Chair on the majority right-leaning School Board, was also up for re-election Tuesday. Even Rose, who called for Ziegler to resign and had DeSantis’ support in Tuesday’s race, was ousted.
DeSantis’ picks are set for runoffs in Brevard, Hernando, Lee, Pinellas, Volusia and Miami-Dade counties, the latter of which is the biggest School District in the state.
Meanwhile, a few candidates backed by Democrats are heading for runoffs this November, in Seminole and Miami-Dade counties.
The statewide teachers union called Tuesday’s election results a victory proving that communities want their political leaders to invest more in their schools and teachers.
“Voters have spoken, and they firmly stand behind candidates who support neighborhood public schools,” said Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association.
“Anti-public education politicians like Governor Ron DeSantis and his allies have used every opportunity — from working to erode our voting rights to pouring countless millions into candidates that will back their interests — to politicize school board races and to take the focus off what really matters — our students and their ability to access a free, world class public education.”
Educated We Stand, a group pushing back against conservative efforts to take over School Boards, also saw several victories Tuesday.
“I am incredibly proud of the success our endorsed candidates have achieved,” said Jennifer Jenkins, founder and Chair of Educated We Stand.
“In a time where our public education system faces immense challenges from well-funded far-right efforts to impose conservative ideology on our schools, these victories affirm the public’s support for leaders committed to diversity of thought, inclusivity, and fact-based education. Our mission to protect and empower our students with the knowledge they need to lead informed, successful lives remains more important than ever.”
–Gabrielle Russon, Florida Politics
JimboXYZ says
Doesn’t matter who won or lost really. Don’t come looking for more money as a solution for a blame shift for the failures of the education system that are really failures of students/children to actually study the subjects that are core education for employable career paths. One doesn’t need to waste time in the school system, when their career aspirations are a “fans only” social media p*rn life. That works for some, others maybe not so much.
Deborah Coffey says
This is the best news in a long time. Now, let’s take Trump down and drive MAGA into the ground.
Pogo says
@Ron DeSleaze strikes again
“TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday appointed to the state’s top education board a political ally who badly lost his campaign to remain on the Broward County School Board earlier this week.
Daniel Foganholi, who was twice appointed to the Broward school board by the governor last year, lost his seat by more than 20 points during Florida’s primary election Tuesday night.
On Friday, the governor appointed him to the State Board of Education, a rare promotion that will now give Foganholi oversight over K-12 education policies across the state…”
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2024/08/23/desantis-puts-school-board-ally-state-education-board-after-voters-reject-him/
No bottom in sight…
“There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always— do not forget this, Winston— always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever. ”
― George Orwell, 1984
Enough says
WOW!! Is it possible that the people are beginning to realize that this Racist Governor is an idiot, who cares nothing about ALL the people living here, but only those who do his bidding. He single handedly has attempted to destroy the education system in Florida, pushing his archaic ignorance on any one who actually listens to him. He attempts to stoke fear into everything he does, trying to convince us that he knows what’s best for us. Guess what? He doesn’t. He is and has always been, a sad excuse as a leader. He’s a loser, and we continue to see it every day.
Barbara Kipnis says
I was elected to a School Board “up north” more than thirty years ago. Never – before, during, or after the election, did I have any inkling of the political affiliations of my fellow board members. No political figures from either major party endorsed any of us. Our sole interest was our school system and the best interests of the students. That’s the way it should be.
Laurel says
Thank goodness! I’m hoping the tide is finally turning, our Republican neighbors are possibly coming out to take back their party from the extremism, and Democrats are organizing better. Let’s get sanity back in our lives!
Jim says
The article states: “In Florida, School Board races are currently nonpartisan. But in reality, the School Board elections are increasingly political, with both parties offering endorsements and schools grappling with issues on race, gender and book bans.” I don’t know how or why that could be said when the current governor backs school board candidates. How much more partisan can it get?
Florida is tilting way to the right. I’m glad DeSantis was so unsuccessful in this effort. Maybe there is hope. Maybe….