Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis axed school-choice scholarships to four schools with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP.
As the Tampa Free Press reported Friday, the governor’s office noted that DeSantis had directed the Florida Department of Education to suspend scholarships at these particular schools because “their connections [to the CCP] constitute an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of these school’s students and the public.”
The schools included Lower and Upper Sagemont Preparatory Schools in Weston as well as Parke House Academy and Park Maitland School, both in Winter Park.
In the news: Florida Gov. DeSantis Needles Trump Saying “I’m The Guy That Will Deliver 100%”
“The Chinese Communist Party is not welcome in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We will not put up with any attempt to influence students with a communist ideology or allow Floridians’ tax dollars to go to schools that are connected to our foreign adversaries.”
It was unclear from the release what the schools did to end up on DeSantis’ list.
However, WBFS in Miami reported that all four schools are connected to the Spring Education Group, which is controlled by an investment firm primarily based in Hong Kong but has operations in China, Singapore, and the United States.
Cailey Myers, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education, cited that in explaining to the Miami Herald why the schools were denied access to the popular scholarship fund.
In the press release, the department said it is assisting nonprofit scholarship funding organizations that help with the program to enroll affected students in nearby eligible schools.
The governor’s office noted that in May, DeSantis signed a bill prohibiting any school affiliated with a “foreign country of concern” from participating in Florida’s school choice scholarship program.
In the news: Hannity To Moderate Florida Gov. DeSantis Vs. California Gov. Newsom Debate
“The Chinese Communist Party has no place in our schools,” Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said in a statement.
“I am grateful for Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their work to keep students and our communities safe from foreign countries of concern.”
The governor’s office noted that DeSantis has enacted several major policies that target the CCP. They include:
- Blocking access to TikTok on educational institution servers and devices.
- Prohibiting state colleges and universities from accepting any grant from or participating in any agreement or partnership with any college or university based in China or another foreign country of concern, unless approved by the Board of Governors or State Board of Education.
- Prohibiting state colleges and universities and their employees and representatives from soliciting or accepting any gift in their official capacities from a college or university based in China or another foreign country of concern, or foreign principal.
- Banning “Confucius Institutes,” which serve as propaganda centers for the CCP.
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Signup for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps