Education in Florida: Reform Teacher-Prep Programs

Last month, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 1291 to prohibit teacher-prep programs from grounding themselves in “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States.” It goes into effect July 1 and sets up DeSantis to bludgeon the University of Florida’s school of education like he did K–12 public schools and Disney.

If DeSantis swings this sledgehammer, it could represent the most significant, state-level education reform since Scott Walker used Act 10 to kneecap the unions over a decade ago. As I’ve stressed in National Review a number of times, university teacher-prep programs are the primary source of the ubiquitous progressivism in American schools. Critical race theory, gender ideology, teachers treating their lectern like a political pulpit — it all makes its way into the classroom via schools of education.

About the Author

Daniel Buck

Daniel Buck is a research fellow and the director of the Conservative Education Reform Network at the American Enterprise Institute.

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Last month, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 1291 to prohibit teacher-prep programs from grounding themselves in “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States.” It goes into effect July 1 and sets up DeSantis to bludgeon the University of Florida’s school of education like he did K–12 public schools and Disney.

If DeSantis swings this sledgehammer, it could represent the most significant, state-level education reform since Scott Walker used Act 10 to kneecap the unions over a decade ago. As I’ve stressed in National Review a number of times, university teacher-prep programs are the primary source of the ubiquitous progressivism in American schools. Critical race theory, gender ideology, teachers treating their lectern like a political pulpit — it all makes its way into the classroom via schools of education.