A tweet from President Joe Biden expressing support for widespread access to quality education earned a number of mocking responses from Republicans and conservative activists, who thanked the president for making a case for school choice policies.
The president tweeted out a link to a Washington Post story on Friday that criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for flirting with the idea of dumping AP courses in Florida high schools.
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“I think every kid, in every zip code, in every state should have access to every education opportunity possible,” Biden said in the tweet. “I guess, for some, that isn’t the consensus view.”
I think every kid, in every zip code, in every state should have access to every education opportunity possible.
I guess, for some, that isn’t the consensus view. https://t.co/d1FAeWwKv1
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 17, 2023
DeSantis’s threat to withdraw Florida from the College Board’s AP course program was the latest escalation in a war that began when Florida blocked the College Board from piloting an black studies course in the state.
According to Open Secrets, the College Board spent $126,681 on lobbying the White House, the Department of Education, and other executive branch agencies in 2022.
Conservative activists and Republican politicians were quick to point out that the president’s tweet represented a sort of endorsement for school choice policies, which have long been opposed by Democratic politicians.
thank you for the accidental endorsement of school choice.
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) February 17, 2023
“Thank you for the accidental endorsement of school choice,” American Federation for Children senior fellow Corey DeAngelis said in response to the president’s tweet.
A number of Republican politicians also weighed in, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who recently proposed a statewide school choice program.
“President Biden, I’ve done more in 5 weeks than you’ve done in 5 decades to give ‘every kid, in every zip code … access to every education opportunity possible,'” Sanders said. “I guess, for some, it’s never been about empowering parents or students, but protecting a broken government system.”
President Biden, I’ve done more in 5 weeks than you’ve done in 5 decades to give “every kid, in every zip code…access to every education opportunity possible.” I guess, for some, it’s never been about empowering parents or students, but protecting a broken government system. https://t.co/LqsVI9Cr5E
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) February 17, 2023
“Sounds like an endorsement of school choice?” wrote the Republican account for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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Former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said the president’s comment would likely upset Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second-largest teachers union.
“Welcome to the education freedom movement, Mr. President,” DeVos said. “Randi Weingarten isn’t going to be very happy about this.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
