Herald-Tribune wrong to endorse DeWitt
Though the Sarasota Herald-Tribune currently operates with a reduced journalist staff, it needs to do a better job researching School Board candidates.
It should retract its endorsement of School Board District 1 candidate Teresa DeWitt and support Jimmy Glover.
DeWitt told the Herald-Tribune she’s “just not into any of the political stuff,” and that she wants “to be a calm, common-sense voice” on the School Board.
Yet her political activity and public comments suggest otherwise.
DeWitt was vice chair of Sarasota’s Moms for Liberty, the organization that created culture wars.
At a recent School Board meeting DeWitt attacked School Board Member Tom Edwards, blaming him for her decision to remove her children from our public schools.
Although DeWitt is purportedly a licensed mental health therapist, she repeatedly attacked Social Emotional Learning (SEL), a respected approach for improving student behavior and well-being.
On her Facebook page, DeWitt mocked a man wearing a kilt at a Super Bowl halftime performance and wrote: “Wake Up America Make Men Great Again.”
No person seeking therapy should be subjected to her homophobia.
Recently DeWitt praised the far-right John Birch Society for hosting a “great class on the Constitution.”
The John Birch Society has a long, ugly history of promoting conspiracy theories, segregation, the Red Scare and Islamophobia. It remains on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch list.
While blaming the school district for being “$43 million in the red,” DeWitt supports universal vouchers, which are directly to blame for the shortfall.
Vouchers cost Florida public school districts $5 billion this past school year.
In campaign Facebook posts, DeWitt invokes “God and country,” and Sarasota being God’s community.
Regardless of DeWitt’s personal faith, School Board members must respect the separation of church and state to ensure all feel welcome.
District 1 candidate Jimmy Glover will do just that.
Mr. Glover has years of experience volunteering in his community and mentoring young people, and he has 30 years of experience in customer service, teamwork and crisis management.
He is committed to academic excellence for all our students.
Robin Taub Williams, Sarasota
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Herald-Tribune chose poorly with Sarasota School Board pick | Letter
Reporting by Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
