DeSantis-backed school board candidates face off in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may not be on the ballot Tuesday, but his education agenda certainly is.

DeSantis is actively supporting school board candidates across the state, endorsing 23 candidates in 14 counties. Although these races are officially nonpartisan, the Republican governor has targeted 14 incumbent board members for removal.

One key battleground is Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Known for its swing-vote status, Pinellas has been shifting to the right in recent years. Conservative activists there have criticized certain teaching materials as pornographic and labeled educators as “groomers.”

Much of the debate in these races centers around "parental rights," a topic that has gained traction amid disputes over school pandemic protocols and discussions on gender identity and systemic racism in the classroom.

New school board members will assume office as public schools in Florida face significant declines in student enrollment. Districts are grappling with whether to close schools and what to do with their properties, as these districts are often major employers and landowners in their communities.

In Pinellas, three challengers endorsed by DeSantis and the conservative group Moms for Liberty—Stacy Geier, Danielle Marolf, and Erika Picard—are vying for seats. If elected, they would join two current board members supported by Moms for Liberty, forming a majority on the nine-member board.

Marolf, who received DeSantis' endorsement, said, “He knows who the true conservative is in my race. My values are actually to protect children.”

However, some in Pinellas feel that the parental rights movement has gone too far. Katie Blaxberg, a registered Republican running against Geier, has found herself at odds with Moms for Liberty. Activists associated with the group have disparaged Blaxberg online and shared personal details about her family. The chapter president did not respond to requests for comment.

Blaxberg criticized the campaign tactics, stating, “The misinformation that has been spread by this group and the intent to create mistrust in our teachers—people are tired of it.”

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Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover underreported issues.