Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida is not one to shy away from controversy, especially when it comes to education. Despite U.S. News & World Report ranking Florida as the No. 1 state in the country for education for the second year in a row, DeSantis seemed to take issue with the publication’s coverage of the achievement.
During an appearance in Port Canaveral, DeSantis criticized the U.S. News story, stating that the media’s portrayal of his education policies as controversial simply means they don’t agree with them. He defended his administration’s actions, claiming that their approach to education is common sense and has been successful in improving the state’s education system.
The U.S. News story highlighted several contentious issues in Florida’s education landscape, including restrictions on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as DeSantis’ involvement in school board elections and efforts to revamp New College of Florida. Despite these controversies, Florida’s ranking was attributed to stellar metrics in higher education rather than K-12 performance.
While the data used for the rankings may not reflect the most recent developments in education policy, DeSantis remains steadfast in his belief that his administration’s efforts have contributed to Florida’s success in education. As the debate around education in Florida continues to be a hot topic, it is clear that Governor DeSantis is not afraid to take on the tough fights in order to improve the state’s education system.