This petition is written on behalf of the parents and students of New College of Florida, many of whom have recently found themselves unwillingly thrust into the center of a political battle being waged by Ron DeSantis. Like the migrant workers paraded to Martha’s Vineyard a few months ago, the student body of this school feel they are being used as a pawn in the governor’s game. 

The students of New College have not asked for their college to be remade and rebranded. Their input was not sought out before this move was announced. Many of them chose this school specifically as a result of its progressive and accepting mission and values. Princeton Review ranks it among the top schools for community service, sustainability, and student engagement. According to U.S. News and World Report, it is ranked as the #5 public liberal arts school. The governor frequently espouses a belief that parents and students should have control over pursuing an education of their own choosing. For this reason, many of us associated with this school have been struck by the flippancy with which he would deny students at New College that right by pushing to remake the school in his own image, against the will of students, parents, and faculty. 

This petition is calling on the Florida legislature to vote against the confirmation of the governor’s appointments to the New College Board of Trustees. If the mission and values of this institution change, many New College students would be forced to withdraw and attend an institution that is more aligned with their values. The institution depends on the enrollment of students. It cannot survive without them. Please consider them as you make decisions that will affect the future of this institution.