Scott Picked Well-Connected GOP Activist Over Education Experts

Rick Scott is traveling Florida this week, trying to convince voters that he cares about education. There’s just one catch:

Yesterday, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that Rick Scott rewarded a well-connected Republican activist with minimal qualifications with an appointment to a local school board. 

Rick Scott picked a campaign supporter over two education experts — one a teacher and school administrator for nearly four decades, the other a long-time social studies teacher who served on his local school board in Connecticut. They were both registered Republicans. 

As always, Rick Scott put his political agenda first. Here is what these Republicans are saying: 

• “It seems the governor took a political route rather than picking the person best for the job,” says Geoffrey Fisher.  
• “Schafer said he…now realizes he probably never had a real chance because of a lack of political connections.”

Sarasota Democratic Party Chair Rita Ferrandino said, “This is just par for the course with Rick Scott, who has always put his own reelection ahead of what’s right for Florida’s communities. He’s injected our local school board with divisive partisan politics that does nothing to help educate our kids.” 

Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant said, “This is exactly the kind of partisan gamesmanship that Floridians have come to expect from Rick Scott. Rick Scott had the chance to make a good choice for a local public school district, but he instead chose to grease the path for his reelection campaign with an inexperienced political hire. That’s not leadership, and Florida’s kids deserve better.”