Five things to know about DeSantis appointee to the Miami-Dade School Board
At around 8 p.m. Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Daniel Espino to the Miami-Dade County School Board. By Tuesday, he had been sworn in as a new member and shortly after, voted in favor of electing Maria Teresa Rojas and Lubby Navarro as board chair and vice chair, respectively.
In addition to his votes, the lawyer and chairman of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce briefly addressed the crowded board room. After thanking DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez and Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Espino thanked God and said he “takes up this position on the school board with the same purpose of clarity and same care as I dedicate to being a parent.”
Espino, the father to four sons, argued that parents are “our children’s first and life-long educators.”
READ MORE: Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Daniel Espino to the Miami-Dade County School Board
His swift appointment to board member leaves the public with little information about how he will serve and what issues he will prioritize. But his brief remarks on Tuesday, a 2012 unsuccessful School Board run and campaign finance records offer a glimpse into his priorities.
Here, then, are five things to know — for now — about Espino.
Donations to DeSantis, Fraga
Espino donated to DeSantis and two political action committees this year, according to Florida campaign contribution records.
He donated $250 to DeSantis’ reelection campaign, $500 to the Next Generation Leaders PAC, an active PAC whose chairperson is Christi Fraga, whom Espino replaced on the board after she resigned Monday due to running in the Dec. 13 mayoral runoff election in Doral. He also gave another $500 to the Protecting Freedom of Speech PAC, which is listed as closed and whose chairperson is Lauren Pardo, who works for the Miami-Dade County Commission.
In April, Espino hosted DeSantis at Beat Culture, a Miami-based brewery he co-owns with his brother. He praised the governor for “keeping our business open” during the pandemic and thanked him for “being a fighter up there in Tallahassee, fighting for Florida’s families [...] because it’s time to stop pandering to special interests at [the] risk of our children.”
After his brief remarks, he introduced DeSantis as “the governor Florida needed, that Florida wanted and that other states wished they had.”
READ MORE: Miami-Dade School Board elects new chair, vice chair aligned with DeSantis, GOP
Parents’ rights advocate
Like Roberto Alonso and Monica Colucci, the two board newcomers whom DeSantis endorsed in the Aug. 23 primary election, Espino supports more parental involvement in schools. On Tuesday, he said, there’s “never been a more critical time for parents to play a central role in education and I’m proud to contribute my voice to that.”
Parental rights has been a key talking point for DeSantis and other conservatives in the state.
“The recent election cycle has raised the debate about education,” he said Tuesday. “Parents are activated. Let’s use that engagement to fuel our resolve.”
READ MORE: As DeSantis injects politics into school boards, parents are getting more influence
Supports ‘fundamentals’ in education
During his speech Tuesday, he said schools “need to focus on fundamentals,” striking a similar tone to others who believe only the core subjects, such as reading, math and civics, should be taught in schools. He said society is “keen to influence, to expose our children to more and more adult pressures, shrinking their childhoods.”
(Last week, during an unofficial swearing-in ceremony, Colucci evoked a similar message, saying she would “never settle for being politically correct, but rather morally correct. When it comes to kids, I pledge to protect their minds, hearts and spirits and in turn, protect their innocence.”)
Following his swearing-in, Espino told reporters that certain topics or conversations surrounding sexuality should be left out of the classroom. He declined to comment on the board’s July decision to adopt a comprehensive sexual health textbook after first banning the book.
Backed by teachers’ union previously
In 2012, when he unsuccessfully ran for a school board seat, he received campaign donations from United Teachers of Dade’s political action committee, according to Espino’s financial reports from the District 5 race in that election. He was defeated by Susie Castillo, who won more than 60% of the vote at the time.
After his appointment Monday, Karla Hernandez-Mats, the union’s president who recently ran for lieutenant governor as Charlie Crist’s running mate and lost to DeSantis and Nuñez, congratulated Espino on his appointment.
In a statement, she said, “As a fellow Miami Springs resident, where Mr. Espino served as a councilman, I know that he appreciates the responsibility of public service for a common good.”
Espino was elected to the Miami Springs Council in 2009 and resigned in 2012 to run for the School Board seat.
Hernandez-Mats joined the union’s leadership team in 2013 and three years later became president.
READ MORE: As DeSantis injects politics into school boards, parents are getting more influence
Legal career
During his legal career, Espino has been recognized by a slew of local and statewide organizations.
In 2022, the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recognized him with the Legal Award, and in 2018, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named him the Sunshine Lawyer of the Year.
According to The Florida Bar, Espino’s legal areas of expertise include business, corporate, government administration and regulation, government and public policy, government contracts, real estate/land development and zoning, planning and land use issues.
This story was originally published November 26, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
