Desantis’ Downfall?

Ron Desantis Runs Wild in Florida as he flips the educational system on its head, leading to political suicide.

It’s hurricane season in Florida, not just because of the devastating storms that hit the panhandle with such frequency, but because of the whirlwind of tension Ron Desantis is creating within Florida’s public education system. Backed by Governor Desantis himself, the Florida Board of Education introduced a new history curriculum, choosing to paint slavery in a positive light by claiming, in a 216-page document about the state’s 2023 standards in social studies, that slavery helped enslaved peoples “[develop] skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Furthermore, the new syllabus covers “perpetrated acts of violence by the African Americans,” teaching children from grades K-12 that slavery is a double edged sword.

However, this introduction of the curriculum is not the only way in which the Governor has changed policy in his state. Desantis has also implemented the Stop Woke Act, ensuring that kids are not “indoctrinated” in the classroom by lessons involving sexuality, religion, or critical race theory. Moreover, Ron forbade lessons to be taught from Nicole Hannah Jones’ 1619 Project which educates students on the history of racism and other topics regarding race in the United States. Not only have these reforms silenced students' voices, but they blatantly ignore the true horrors of slavery in an ignorant fashion that slowly makes students less interested in learning. Not only has Desantis isolated students, but also the moderate Republican electorate which he will rely on for any chance of defeating former President Donald Trump.

According to FiveThirtyEight Polls, Desantis’ national favorability is at a mere 13.3%, making him 39.4 points behind former President Donald Trump. Now, more than ever, is a crucial time for Desantis to change his political tactics: his low standing in Republican Polls makes the idea of recovering before the Iowa Caucus almost impossible. Unless the former President gets convicted of the many crimes he has been accused of before the election, Desantis’ next best chance might end up being in 2028.

In the August 23rd debates, Desantis had a chance to either clear his education record in Florida or endorce his policies for a chance to gain momentum from the more extremist part of the Republican Party. Instead, he did none of the above as Vivek Ramasaway dominated as the far right candidate on the stage, while Nicky Haley established herself as the moderate of the group. Desantis looked like a fish out of water; he didn’t present himself as a formidable candidate to anyone in the audience nor those tuned into Fox. While watching the debate, it became apparent that, in addition to his lack of charisma displayed on the debate stage, Desantis’ divisive policies that may result in a loss of enthusiasm for learning in Florida will serve as a deterrent preventing him from winning the 2024 Republican nomination. The Desantis train may potentially be arriving at its final stop, and his next best chance is either as VP, or in 2028.

Will Cohen