Partisan culture wars have come to school board meetings and elections, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leaning into the debate.
From his battle with Disney over the company’s opposition to an LGBTQ-focused bill dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics, to other skirmishes over what books are appropriate in schools and how race is taught, DeSantis has proven adept at tapping into conservative angst about the direction of the education system, and American culture in general.
All of this has made Florida a hotbed for divisive education politics heading into the 2022 elections, and raised questions about where the debate will go next if DeSantis wins a second term as Florida's governor and then takes a shot at the White House.
What DeSantis built in Florida could be where the nation soon is headed.