Sarasota School Board District 1 race overview: Bridget Ziegler vs. Dawnyelle Singleton

Sarasota County School Board incumbent Bridget Ziegler has gained a high profile like no other member to serve on the five-member panel that oversees a public school district with a budget topping $1 billion.

She followed a 2014 appointment from then-Gov. Rick Scott, now a U.S. senator, with two successful bids for re-election, raising tens of thousands of dollars each time in what used to be low-profile, low-dollar races. Over time she gained a national platform from what is technically a non-political position on the hot-button cultural and educational issues of the day, becoming both a lightning rod for critics and an admired leader for conservatives.

Ziegler, who is seeking a third term on the School Board, has articulated deeply conservative Republican Party positions on critical race theory and parental rights, including speaking out against mandatory masking for students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. She has appeared on Fox News to share her stances, defended parental rights in education decisions and helped launch a notable conservative political organization, Moms for Liberty.

For much of her tenure, she's been on the losing end of many 3-2 policy votes. But that could change this year, depending on the outcome of the Aug. 23 election, when three of the five seats on the board are up for election. Two long-time board members, Democrats Shirley Brown and Jane Goodwin, are not seeking reelection this year.

Seeking to unseat Ziegler is a candidate who would set her own precedent, as the first Black Sarasota School Board member, Dawnyelle Singleton. The first-time candidate for public office is backed by notable Democratic donors, including Rosaile Danbury, a Democratic Party donor who has donated over $200,000 to the party's candidates, and Anita Springer, who sits on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood in New England.

In case you missed it: Here's what School Board candidates had to say at recent forum

Election 2022: Who is running for local, state and federal offices in the Sarasota-Manatee area?

Reading scores drop: Sarasota School District keeps 'A' rating from state, Manatee maintains 'B'

Ziegler, who has narrowly won re-election twice by a combined 3,469 votes, has received several donations from conservative PACs, and from prominent Republicans, such as state Sen. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota lawmaker who also heads the Florida Republican Party.

Signifying the importance placed on this race, each candidate has raised more than $100,000, a once unheard of sum for a local school board race in Sarasota County.

School Board members are elected to four-year terms, and, while they represent geographical districts on the board, voters countywide cast ballots in the race. Their salary is $43,043 annually.

Bridget Ziegler

Ziegler, 40, has a background in risk management and attended Florida International University's College of Business. Outside of the School Board, she continues to be a lead consultant for USI Insurance Services.

Last year she staked out a position against the board majority when she voted against a mask mandate in 2021 during a COVID surge, saying the decision should be left to parents, and on revisions to how the public is allowed to give input to the board during meetings.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had pledged to get involved in local school board elections following a clash with Sarasota's board and other districts that mandated masking, followed through with endorsements of a number of candidates in Florida, including backing Ziegler.

She stood next to DeSantis as he signed the Parental Rights in Education Bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics, which had followed her advocacy of earlier legislation favoring parents' rights on education issues.

Ziegler said she has demonstrated a commitment to academic achievement and transparency with parents as a few of the points for why she should get another term on the School Board.

This year, the school district maintained its A rating despite a drop in reading scores. Ziegler said that COVID-19 played a role in hindering reading achievement, but noted that other school districts maintained or improved their scores despite the obstacle.

Ziegler contends improving academic achievement in schools starts with parental involvement. She said she has improved parental access by pushing for changes to board meetings during her tenure, including the broadcasting of workshops.

Singleton has criticized Ziegler because she doesn't send her school-age daughter to the district's public schools. Ziegler said it wasn't an easy decision to move her child and that she understood the political implications in doing so.

She said the decision came as the board majority was making "many reckless decisions," saying the board approached issues as if it knew better than parents. She said it was ultimately the board's decision to implement a mask mandate last year that precipitated the move.

In a Fox News interview last year, Ziegler said she pulled her daughter from public schools out of concern over hyper-politicized curriculum pushing critical race theory.

“When you get your child in the car and they ask you what white privilege is, that’s concerning,” she said in the interview.

Ziegler said the decision had nothing to do with the district's teachers or schools, and that she intends to send her kids to district schools in the future.

"I think it's a low attack because she's got nothing else to argue with me on," Ziegler said.

By the way: Ron DeSantis endorses Ziegler and Enos in Sarasota County School Board races

Dawnyelle Singleton

Singleton, a 46-year-old Sarasota native who graduated from the district's public schools, said she's running for School Board because public schools are under "attack."

Before running for office, Singleton was an administrator at Visible Men Academy in Bradenton and substitute teacher at Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences. She works as an executive assistant at an educational nonprofit, Forty Carrots.

"I'm running to protect the future of public schools, and to ensure that every child in Sarasota County has access to the highest quality public school system," she said.

She said her top priority would be to work with other board members on how to best support students, saying there's too much dissension and conflict on the board, which disrupts board business.

The board needs to focus on addressing a teacher shortage, as well as supporting students' mental health and early childhood education, she said.

Singleton said she wants to help alleviate the teacher shortage by talking with teachers about what they need. Finding affordable housing in Sarasota is one issue, but is hard to address on a School Board level, she said.

Teachers in Sarasota County start at $50,000 per year, which is above the state minimum.

With the recent dip in reading scores in the district, Singleton said she would like to see enrichment activities made available during down times such as spring break, and continuing the summer learning academies.

Singleton said Ziegler has aligned herself with DeSantis in stoking "culture wars," citing an emphasis on banning discussion of critical race theory from schools.

"It is a vocal minority that believes their children are being indoctrinated," Singleton said. "They are not."

More coverage: Dawnyelle Singleton announces candidacy for Sarasota County School board

On the issues

Critical race theory

Critical race theory is a graduate-level academic framework that asserts racism is more than prejudice, but is also systemic in the U.S.'s laws and institutions.

Ziegler: There have been misconceptions as to what critical race theory is, but the themes permeate into K-12 schools, she said. She said it can have a detrimental effect on students but trusts the district's teachers.

Singleton: She said critical race theory is not taught and has never been taught in Sarasota. This is a non-issue that takes away from real issues, she said.

Parental Rights in Education Act

The Parental Rights in Education Act (HB 1557) dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics, is a seven-page law signed by DeSantis this year. The law states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

Ziegler: Ziegler said the district needs to make sure that discussions in classrooms are age appropriate.  She said the bill pertains to K through third-grade classrooms and giving parents a say, and she stands behind the bill wholeheartedly.

Singleton: Said she believes all parents have the right to be involved in their child’s education. She said the law undermines the rights of LGBTQ students and teachers. All students should have the right to be who they are and be able to confide in trusted teachers when they have questions or concerns, she said.

Textbooks and library book content: There has been increased attention on curriculum content in textbooks and library books, as the Florida Department of Education rejected more than 50 math textbooks for allegedly including critical race theory. As of publication, there was an active lawsuit against the School Board over alleged obscene library books in district schools. Legal counsel for the district said it is likely to be thrown out.

Ziegler: Said there is a process to removing books and it's important to be followed. A parent's decision on their child's reading doesn't invalidate another parent's choice. Doesn't see there being book bans in the district, just meaningful evaluation to make sure content is age appropriate.

Singleton: Book bans are archaic. There are systems in place at schools to allow parents to review and ultimately decide what books their child has access to. A student is more susceptible to danger with a phone, WiFi and unmonitored access than with a book.

How the district handled COVID-19: The School Board took several steps to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 to students, including a temporary mask mandate with an opt-out.

Ziegler: Voted against the district's mask mandate because she said the numbers at the time didn't show it to be a significant risk to the student-age population. She also cited  DeSantis' executive order against mask mandates in school districts.

Singleton: The district followed the advice, guidance, and expertise of medical professionals. Its main goal was to protect the health and safety of children, teachers, and school communities.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Dawnyelle Singleton seeks to unseat Bridget Ziegler in school board race