A national teachers union poll shows that positions adopted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are supported by most voters.
During Florida’s 2022 legislative session, DeSantis championed a number of education related bills that his opponents often labeled as extreme. During the session, Equality Florida, a LGBTQ advocacy group, released a television advertisement “blasting” DeSantis over his positions.
However, a battleground-state survey commissioned by the American Teachers Federation shows a majority of voters approve of DeSantis’ education policy positions.
For example, one poll question found that voters, by a 32 percentage-point margin, said they were more likely to vote for candidates who believe public schools should focus less on teaching race and more on core subjects.
DeSantis signed a bill that banned critical race theory in schools.
Another poll question found that voters, by 27 points, said schools should be banned from teaching sexual orientation and gender identity to kids in kindergarten through third grade.
DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill (SB 1834), which expanded parental rights and limited the discussion of gender related issues in elementary school grades.
And by 28 points, another poll question found that voters agreed that transgender athletes should be banned from competing in girls’ sports.
In June 2021, DeSantis signed signed into law a policy banning transgender athletes from playing girls and women’s sports.
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