Florida - Monday September 25, 2023: Following what they say was a "thorough" investigation, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has concluded that two privately operated schools, one in Broward County, and two in Orange County, have direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The two school are the Sagemont Preparatory School in Weston, and the Park Maitland School in Winter Park, "formerly Parke House Academy," according to the Park Maitland website.
Their connection to the CCP constitutes "an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of these school’s students and the public," according to a news release from the Governor's Office. Governor DeSantis has directed FDOE to suspend the availability of school choice scholarships at the both schools.
The Governor's release provides no corroborating information about the alleged link to the CCP or what specific threat the schools pose to the health and safety of Florida students.
An entry at the bottom of the opening page on the website of each school states: "Spring Education Group is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, an investment firm (together with its affiliates) principally based in Hong Kong with operations in China, Singapore, and the United States, that is itself owned by Chinese persons residing in Hong Kong."
The Governor's release actually refers to four schools, counting the upper school and lower schools of the Sagemont Preparatory School as two separate schools; and making the Parke House Academy separate from the Park Maitland School, even though they are the same school operating under the Park Maitland name.
“The Chinese Communist Party is not welcome in the state of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We will not put up with any attempt to influence students with a communist ideology or allow Floridians’ tax dollars to go to schools that are connected to our foreign adversaries.”
The Department is working with the non-profit scholarship funding organizations to assist impacted students in finding and enrolling in nearby eligible schools. On May 8, 2023, Governor DeSantis signed SB 846 to prohibit any school affiliated with a foreign country of concern from participating in Florida’s school choice scholarship programs.
“The Chinese Communist Party has no place in our schools,” said Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. “I am grateful for Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their work to keep students and our communities safe from foreign countries of concern.”
Since taking office Governor DeSantis has targeted what he sees as Chinese Communist Party influence in the state, including:
- Baring any member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing Florida agricultural land, or land near a military installation, or near any critical infrastructure.
- Blocking access to TikTok on educational institution servers and devices.
- Prohibiting state colleges and universities from accepting any grant from or participating in any agreement or partnership with any college or university based in China or another foreign country of concern, unless approved by the Board of Governors or State Board of Education.
- Prohibiting state colleges and universities and their employees and representatives from soliciting or accepting any gift in their official capacities from a college or university based in China or another foreign country of concern, or foreign principal.
- Banning “Confucius Institutes,” which serve as propaganda centers for the Chinese Communist Party.