In September 2023, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stunned school choice advocates when he kicked out four private schools from the state’s school voucher program.
The schools’ offense, according to the state’s announcement, was their “direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” which were seen as “an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of these school’s [sic] students and...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights legitimate concerns about foreign influence in U.S. education, particularly through private equity firms with ties to authoritarian regimes. The removal of schools linked to Primavera Capital raises valid questions about transparency and accountability in voucher programs, especially as these programs expand with minimal oversight. The article effectively traces the connections between Primavera, its founder Fred Hu, and the CCP, while also docu...