This story is part of an ongoing series about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ policies and how they impact the people in his state. For full coverage, click here.
LAKELAND, FLORIDA — In the foyer of the Medulla Baptist Church in Lakeland, Florida, there were copies of My Pillow Guy CEO Mike Lindell’s memoir; raffle tickets for a baseball hat with the words “Ultra MAGA;” and a pile of Lifesaver mints accompanied by a sign telling people to refresh the bad taste in their mouths caused by the indoctrination of their children.
This was the Wake Up to Woke Education conference. On a Saturday in May, inside the church about an hour east of Tampa, speakers—from conservative activists to homeschool teachers—preached about “wokeness” and a “gender identity cult” infiltrating public schools. The headmaster of a private school called the public school system “the largest state-owned monopoly outside of China.” The keynote address warned the audience to prepare for a “battle” of who gets to teach the next generation of American children.
The ultimate message: Parents, not the state or teachers, know how to best educate their children. Crucially, they also came with solutions: private schools, homeschooling, and a return to classical Christian curricula—along with legislation signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that makes it easier to access these alternatives. It’s not just Florida: This resurgence of educational freedom is replicating on a national scale, and while experts say shifts away from public education have historical precedents, the reaction to a supposed “woke indoctrination” poses a new threat to the stability of schooling in America.
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