A.G. Gancarski
“Shameful and wrong.”
That’s how Casey DeSantis, the wife of Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, described Democrat Andrew Gillum‘s opposition to “choice scholarships” after a visit to a Tampa Catholic School Thursday.
“St. Peter Claver Catholic School is a testament to how innovative education policies can truly change the lives of children and their families,” said Mrs. DeSantis.
“St. Peter Claver has more than 150 students, many of them African-American and all of them from families with limited means, that are now excelling in a great learning environment thanks to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program. This program empowers low-income parents to choose the best learning environment for their children—just like parents of greater means do,” Mrs. DeSantis added.
“My husband, Ron DeSantis, will protect these students’ scholarships and defend these parents’ right to send their child to a school where they can excel,” Mrs. DeSantis asserted.
“Andrew Gillum has said that he will bring this program and others like it ‘to a conclusion.’ That is shameful and wrong. He should look these students and parents in the eye and tell them why he thinks they don’t deserve the opportunity to choose a learning environment that works for them,” Mrs. DeSantis added.
“Public education doesn’t exist to serve the interests of bureaucrats and unions – it exists to equip every child with the knowledge and skills they need to pursue their dreams and maximize their own potential. Empowering families will always be the focus of Ron DeSantis as Governor,” concluded Casey DeSantis.
Critics have chided Gillum for unclear stances on the school choice issue.
The PolitiFact parsed Gillum’s position, asserting that the Democrat “hasn’t called for an end to all charter schools — he is targeting those that are managed by for-profit entities.”
This is consistent with Gillum’s own statements during the primary, which zeroed in on for-profit operators rather than parochial schools like the one Mrs. DeSantis visited.
The DeSantis-friendly Washington Examiner went further, suggesting Gillum could defund the program.
Charter school advocates back DeSantis, with former House Speaker and one-time gubernatorial pre-candidate Richard Corcoran lauding his education plan as “bold and visionary.”
11 comments
Navy Vet
November 1, 2018 at 3:41 pm
There is no doubt that SPCCS is a fine place for the 284 students enrolled there but they are not a charter school. They are private school and therefore not “graded” by the State of Florida. http://www.fldoe.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/ Nor are they ranked publicly https://www.schooldigger.com/go/FL/schoolrank.aspx . Please, journalists, do a little digging and stop accepting every soundbite as gospel. Mrs. DeSantis is on a steep learning curve but her people really should have armed her with a minimum understanding of the difference between public, charter, magnet and private schools.
Nordonia Nate
November 1, 2018 at 10:45 pm
Navy guy… enlighten us about the Gillum plan for Florida education…
Ron Dumbstanis
November 1, 2018 at 4:11 pm
bi**h please STFU
Nordonia Nate
November 1, 2018 at 10:43 pm
Ron….
AND… Yet another Dem that can only express their intellect through profane babble..
Frankie M.
November 1, 2018 at 5:42 pm
Just because she’s a milf doesn’t mean she knows wtf she’s talking about. She should stick to what she knows— first coast living & all the ⚽ moms that watch it. When she’s first lady she’ll have plenty of time to extoll the virtues of kickbacks to campaign donors errr I mean charter school operators. Hell she can even read to the kindergarteners. Until then just stfu
Nordonia Nate
November 1, 2018 at 10:41 pm
Frankie … You really talk tough sitting behind a computer… Scary person…. lol….
You are really good with the extreme profanity and stupid comments… Beyond that …. Here’s a thought: take your own advice..
Frankie…. You related to Tampa Ray? You both have the same strategy. Extreme profanity and mindless rhetoric..
Frankie M.
November 2, 2018 at 11:13 pm
Thx I stole it from the republican playbook.
Ray Tampa
November 1, 2018 at 10:15 pm
How in the hell is she blasting Gillum for anything. Gillum is a real man while her husband is a shell of a man. Ron DeSantis is known for having his nose buried up the azz of another man (Trump).
Until Casey is willing to speak out about her hubby’s ‘wet kissing’ on Trump’s azz she should stay far in the background.
Nordonia Nate
November 1, 2018 at 10:34 pm
Tampa Ray…. Try to avoid the petty personal attacks against Trump… THAT is all you can do… You can’t explain the Gillum agenda.. Heck, Gillum can’t explain his own agenda..
Frankie M.
November 2, 2018 at 11:17 pm
The Gillum agenda is to invest in public schools not for profit charter schools like DeSantis wants to do. That is all. You’re welcome. I eagerly await Desantis updated health care plans on his website as soon as his donors tell him what the plan is.
Frankie M.
November 2, 2018 at 11:50 pm
DeSantis hates it when you stoop to his level. Same with Trump. It’s like when you fight back against a bully & they call you the aggressor…smh
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