Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds recently defended parents’ rights to choose a school for their children, sparking backlash online. The event took place during the Republican’s campaign, as he was speaking to Floridian voters in Pasco County, near Tampa.
In a recent video shared on X, Donalds was seen talking to a crowd when he called out a woman and her three kids in the audience. He then spoke to them, saying that in Florida, he wants mothers like her to be in charge of how their children are educated. Byron argued that the mother knows her children “better than any bureaucrat could,” so she should be able to choose their school.
In short, Byron was defending school vouchers, an option in Florida that allows K-12 students to attend public or private schools using state-backed funding. The position is controversial, especially considering that Byron’s wife, Erika Donalds, reportedly received millions in state funding for her own private charter schools.
Byron Donalds Criticized for Promoting ‘School Choice’
The controversies surrounding Erika Donalds were not lost on social media, as many X users criticized Byron for his stance: “He really just gets up there and says anything. Byron loves ‘school choice’ because in his house, ‘school choice’ = taxpayer dollar payday.”
Someone else argued: “School vouchers are a scam and the system is being abused while our public schools are being defunded. Not another cent till the system can pass an audit and account for the millions in taxpayers’ money that is missing.” Other users slammed Donalds, saying: “We see you and your grift.”
Even some seemingly Republican voters appeared to disagree with the gubernatorial candidate: “Sir, huge supporter and huge R, but don’t die on this hill.”
However, some users also defended Donalds: “School choice is the necessary condition for economic mobility & affordability. Addresses shouldn’t decide kids’ future—or force one to overpay just to escape a bad school. Choice breaks both traps. Opportunity follows the child, not the zip code. Mobility rises.”
Should Donalds be elected governor of Florida, he will likely continue to support the controversial voucher system, potentially preserving it as part of Florida’s educational landscape.
