Local school officials have little to say about the Florida Department of Education's recent adoption of the Phoenix Declaration, a document conceived and released by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, the same organization from which comes Project 2025.

Florida is the only state to adopt the declaration to date.

Titled “The Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education,” the document begins with an indictment: “In this time of moral and political crises, when too many schools have lost their way, it is the responsibility of America’s parents, educators, and policymakers to recommit ourselves to the central purposes of education.”

The statements that follow include quotes from Thomas Jefferson and John Adams about freedom and virtue. The document professes the need for citizens to know their civic duties and “what America stands for.”

It outlines “principles [that] should guide American families, schools, and policymakers,” namely parental choice and responsibility, transparency and accountability, truth and goodness, cultural transmission, character formation, academic excellence and citizenship.

While the declaration’s language could seem inarguable, there are nuances seen as red flags to detractors, who include the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest education union.

The document  “covers its true intent with seemingly innocuous language. The Phoenix Declaration is the latest thinly veiled attempt by billionaire-backed special interests to dismantle and politicize Florida’s public education system,” according to a statement by the FEA.

The statement, issued Nov. 13 -- the same day as the state school board’s unanimous adoption of the document -- appears on its website under the headline, “Florida’s Leaders Must Prioritize Students Over Billionaire-Backed Political Pledges.”

Detractors are not just disturbed by its source, the Heritage Foundation. Statements that students should “learn about America’s founding principles and roots in the broader Western and Judeo-Christian traditions” could be seen as problematic regarding the separation of church and state.

The document condemns “ideological fads” and “experimental teaching methods” without defining what that means. It further states that “Schools should also foster a healthy sense of patriotism and cultivate gratitude for and attachment to our country and all who serve its central institutions.”

How those statements and the entire document could translate into curriculum is open to wide interpretation.

House minority leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa is one of a group of 10 Democratic legislators who issued a letter Wednesday, Nov. 19, calling on the board to rescind its vote, stating that the declaration “is a roadmap for injecting right-wing political doctrine into Florida’s public schools, rewriting curriculum to fit a partisan worldview, and silencing perspectives that don’t align with their agenda.”

In a media availability this week, Driskell said parents in her community are very concerned about "the politization of our public schools" and that they are worried that the Phoenix Declaration "really is about them trying to indoctrinate [students] with a conservative ideology."

Locally, superintendents' comments were scant or equivocal.

Through a spokesperson, a query to Charlotte County Schools Superintendent Mark Vianello yielded this statement: “The district is not offering interviews or additional statements regarding state directives. We will continue to implement the requirements provided to us.”

Superintendent of Collier County Schools Leslie Ricciardelli issued this statement: “Collier County Public Schools fully complies with the State of Florida educational standards and required instruction as outlined under Section 1003.42 of the Florida Statutes.  The Phoenix Declaration reflects principles we already uphold, like academic excellence, transparency and accountability, character formation, and citizenship. While we respect and affirm parental choice — especially as Collier County Public Schools remains the preferred option for 90% of school-age students in our community — it is equally critical that our State values, celebrates, and adequately funds traditional public education. CCPS is committed to being the best choice for families by delivering academic excellence in teaching, learning, and a multitude of opportunities for students to explore and engage.”    

Requests for comment by Superintendent Denise Carlin of the School District of Lee County went unanswered.

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