Florida schools ranked dead last in civics a decade ago.
Now Ron DeSantis is unveiling presidential statues while California floats wealth taxes.
Here's what happened between then and now – and why it's driving the left insane.
What Coolidge Knew That Newsom Never Learned
DeSantis stood at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales on Tuesday and dedicated a bronze statue of America's 30th president – the same man who traveled to that exact sanctuary in February 1929 to deliver its dedication address, one of his final acts before leaving office.
The setting wasn't chosen by accident.
Coolidge governed on one principle: government exists to produce results, not to perform.
DeSantis quoted him directly: "You cannot successfully administer the government by substituting the power of entertainment for the power of accomplishment."
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2044549613755998282?s=20
Gavin Newsom has been governor of California for seven years.
He holds more press conferences than any governor in modern history.
His state's eighth graders rank below the national average in math.
Thirty-four percent of California fourth graders read at grade level.
Florida's middle school students passed their civics exam at an 80% rate in 2025 – the highest ever recorded.
The Heritage Foundation ranked Florida number one in civic education for the fourth straight year.
Florida debate teams now compete in all 67 counties.
Twenty-one thousand teachers completed Florida's Civic Seal of Excellence program, earning $3,000 bonuses for 50 hours of Constitutional training.
This is what Coolidge's "power of accomplishment" looks like in 2026.
The Number That Should End Newsom's Presidential Ambitions
Two-thirds of California kids can't do grade-level math.
Florida doesn't spend anything close to that.
Florida ranks number one in higher education for nine consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Florida's college graduates carry nearly $5,000 less debt than the national average.
Meanwhile, Californians are leaving – and they're landing in Florida.
They're not fleeing abstractions.
They're fleeing Gavin Newsom's specific decisions that produced those specific numbers.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2044530758614720765?s=20
DeSantis noted that Florida has paid down roughly 50% of its state debt over seven years while California floats wealth taxes designed to chase residents who've already figured out the game.
Coolidge built the same fiscal discipline into the 1920s economy – and DeSantis isn't just honoring that legacy.
He's living it.
Why This Matters for Your Grandchildren Right Now
The civics push isn't a feel-good initiative.
It's a firewall.
Kids who can name the Founding Fathers, argue from the Constitution, and explain why limited government matters are kids who can't be sold socialism by the next AOC or Bernie Sanders.
That's exactly why Newsom proclaimed a "Civic Learning Week" in March – and then watched California teachers publicly admit they're "treading lightly" on American history because the curriculum is too politically complicated.
Too complicated.
In California, teaching kids why America was founded has become politically complicated.
In Florida, it's a competition.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2044498904193110408?s=20
DeSantis announced a Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate championship this year – the winner gets $50,000 and a trophy named for Charlie Kirk.
One governor spent seven years holding press conferences while his kids fell further behind.
The other spent seven years building the system Coolidge would have recognized – low debt, high standards, and citizens who actually understand what they inherited.
As America hits its 250th birthday, DeSantis is calling Florida the "14th colony" in its celebrations.
Newsom is telling his teachers to tread lightly.
Sources:
- Michelle Vecerina, "DeSantis Unveils Coolidge Statue at Bok Tower, Champions Florida as Leader in Civics," Florida News, April 15, 2026.
- "Governor Ron DeSantis Unveils Statue Honoring President Calvin Coolidge at Bok Tower Gardens," Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, April 15, 2026.
- "Florida Ranks #1 in Education Freedom for the Fourth Consecutive Year," Executive Office of the Governor of Florida, September 9, 2025.
- "Commissioner Kamoutsas Celebrates Accomplishments from 2025," Florida Department of Education, December 30, 2025.
- Dan Walters, "California Schools Continue to Struggle with Test Scores in Reading and Math," CalMatters, February 4, 2025.
- "California Still Lags Behind Pre-Pandemic Reading and Math Scores on National Assessment," EdSource, January 29, 2025.
- "As Part of the 2026-27 Budget Proposal, Governor Newsom Proposes Improving State Education Governance," Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, January 8, 2026.
