into political battlegrounds. “What I take from these results is there’s some indication that there’s a backlash building against some of these far-right groups and individuals trying to dictate every aspect of public education and impose their beliefs on everybody,” he said.
DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has made so-called culture war and education issues a key part of his political strategy. He has drawn attention to his efforts to block the teaching of critical race theory and to prevent transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports. He has also backed policies that call for a ban of certain books and materials from school libraries.
Despite his pushback against what he perceives as harmful interference in school curricula, the election results suggest that some voters may be rejecting these far-right policies. And according to political experts, the backlash against these groups could have a lasting impact on future school board elections and on the national conversation about education.