Teachers unions and the Left have controlled what gets taught in America's classrooms for decades.
Parents had no say while their children were indoctrinated with radical gender ideology and critical race theory.
But Ron DeSantis just dealt one devastating blow to the teachers unions.
Florida leads the nation with bold stand for parental rights
The Florida State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to adopt "The Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education" as the state's guiding principles for education.¹
Florida became the first state in the nation to formally embrace the document created by the Heritage Foundation — proving once again that DeSantis isn't afraid to stand up to the radical Left.
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas made the case that these principles represent common-sense values the education establishment has abandoned.
"I don't know how anyone can disagree with parental choice and responsibility, curriculum transparency, and academic excellence," Kamoutsas told reporters.²
https://twitter.com/StasiKamoutsas/status/1989021832885027298?s=20
He's right — and the fact that teachers unions are melting down over basic concepts like "objective truth" and "parental choice" tells you everything about what's wrong with American education.
The Phoenix Declaration lays out six core principles including parental choice and responsibility, transparency and accountability, truth and goodness, cultural transmission, character formation, and academic excellence.²
More than 50 scholars and policy experts signed the document, along with 10 education and public interest groups dedicated to putting students ahead of political agendas.³
Board Chair Ryan Petty, who has fought tirelessly for education reform, said the declaration creates a "unifying foundation" that ensures Florida remains a national model for "academic freedom, parental partnership and educational excellence."¹
Leftists panic over parents gaining control
The teachers unions and their allies went into full panic mode after the vote.
The Florida Education Association — which represents the same teachers who fought to keep schools closed during COVID and opposed parental notification laws — released a hysterical statement attacking the move.
They called it a "thinly veiled attempt by billionaire-backed special interests to dismantle and politicize Florida's public education system."⁴
That's rich coming from unions bankrolled by Democrat Party operatives who've been politicizing schools for decades.
Critics trotted out the usual scare tactics, claiming the Heritage Foundation document represents "white Christian nationalist ideology" and comparing it to authoritarian indoctrination.²
https://twitter.com/CoastalCNews/status/1989152560914010278?s=20
Translation: They're terrified of losing their stranglehold on what children learn.
Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar tried claiming the Phoenix Declaration forces ideology on students while pretending to oppose indoctrination.⁵
But parents aren't buying it anymore — they've seen what happens when the education establishment controls curriculum without transparency or accountability.
Teaching kids that America was founded on good principles isn't indoctrination — it's the truth.
What IS indoctrination is telling elementary school students they can choose their gender, that America is systemically racist, and that parents are the enemy.
DeSantis built the blueprint for taking back education
Ron DeSantis proved you can fight the radical Left's grip on education and win.
He passed the Parental Rights in Education Act that banned inappropriate sexual content in elementary classrooms — and Democrats lost their minds calling it the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
When the Left tried to sneak critical race theory into schools, DeSantis banned it and gave parents the tools to hold schools accountable.
He expanded the law to all grades, required schools to teach about the "evils of communism," and launched the largest school choice expansion in state history.⁶
The results speak for themselves — Florida students are thriving while enrollment in other states declines.
Now the Heritage Foundation is using Florida as proof that putting parents first and rejecting leftist ideology actually works.
https://twitter.com/Cathy2NotToday/status/1988976890191728649?s=20
The Phoenix Declaration represents 40 years of conservative education policy finally going on offense instead of playing defense.
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts made clear this is about taking back education from radical activists.
"School leaders, educators, school board members, and policymakers need a set of shared, unshakable principles to reclaim education and put students — not leftist activism — first," Roberts stated when unveiling the declaration.⁷
That's exactly what Florida just did — and state officials say other states are already watching to see how they can follow suit.
Critics whine that the declaration will influence curriculum decisions and textbook approvals.
Good — that's the entire point.
For too long, schools have been pushing books that sexualize children and curricula that teach kids to hate America.
https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1984761851620528534?s=20
Parents want schools focused on reading, writing, math, science, and teaching kids the truth about America's founding principles.
The Phoenix Declaration gives them the framework to make that happen.
State officials emphasized the document carries no enforcement power and serves as a statement of guiding principles.³
But the real power comes from finally having education leaders who believe in those principles instead of the woke garbage that's infected schools for decades.
¹ Michelle Vecerina, "Florida becomes first state to adopt 'Phoenix Declaration' as guiding principles for education," Florida News, November 13, 2025.
² News4Jax, "Florida's school system first to adopt controversial group's 'Phoenix Declaration'; critics say it's indoctrination," November 13, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Jay Waagmeester, "Florida affirms Heritage Foundation education priorities, first state to do so," Florida Phoenix, November 13, 2025.
⁵ Action News Jax, "Florida State Board of Education to vote on adopting the Heritage Foundation's education pledge," November 12, 2025.
⁶ Washington Examiner, "DeFlorida Blueprint: How Ron DeSantis's education policies could shape the 2024 race," May 8, 2023.
⁷ Accountabaloney, "Florida's State Board Poised to Ratify Heritage's 'Phoenix Declaration,'" 2025.
