Though the Sarasota Herald-Tribune currently operates with a reduced journalist staff, it needs to do a better job researching School Board candidates.

It should retract its endorsement of School Board District 1 candidate Teresa DeWitt and support Jimmy Glover.

DeWitt told the Herald-Tribune she's "just not into any of the political stuff," and that she wants "to be a calm, common-sense voice" on the School Board.

Yet her political activity and public comments suggest otherwise. 

DeWitt was vice chair of Sarasota's Moms for Liberty, the organization that created culture wars. 

At a recent School Board meeting DeWitt attacked School Board Member Tom Edwards, blaming him for her decision to remove her children from our public schools.

Although DeWitt is purportedly a licensed mental health therapist, she repeatedly attacked Social Emotional Learning (SEL),  a respected approach for improving student behavior and well-being. 

On her Facebook page, DeWitt mocked a man wearing a kilt at a Super Bowl halftime performance and wrote: "Wake Up America Make Men Great Again."

No person seeking therapy should be subjected to her homophobia. 

From left, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, Rachel Korine and Selena Gomez star in "Spring Breakers," which filmed scenes in Sarasota and St. Petersburg, Florida. A sequel written, directed by and starring Bella Thorne has been announced, though a filming location has not been set. Read more. (Contributed/A24)
From left, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, Rachel Korine and Selena Gomez star in "Spring Breakers," which filmed scenes in Sarasota and St. Petersburg, Florida. A sequel written, directed by and starring Bella Thorne has been announced, though a filming location has not been set. Read more. (Contributed/A24)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Arturo Holmes, Getty Images)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the amfAR New York Fashion Week Cocktail Party at The Mulberry on February 13, 2024, will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Getty Images for amfAR)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the amfAR New York Fashion Week Cocktail Party at The Mulberry on February 13, 2024, will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Getty Images for amfAR)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the amfAR New York Fashion Week Cocktail Party at The Mulberry on February 13, 2024, will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Cindy Ord, Getty Images for amfAR)
Bella Thorne, pictured at the amfAR New York Fashion Week Cocktail Party at The Mulberry on February 13, 2024, will direct, write and star in a sequel to "Spring Breakers," which which was filmed in the St. Petersburg and Sarasota area. A filming location for the sequel is not set yet. (Cindy Ord, Getty Images for amfAR)
Teens from around the region, including Emily Lafferty, of Sarasota, far left, and Toniann Loria, of Bradenton, center, gather outside the Ringling College of Art and Design campus on Monday, March 5, 2012 in the hopes to catch a glimpse of stars such as Selena Gomez and Ashley Benson as filming for Harmony Korine's film "Spring Breakers" began. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Teens from around the region, including Emily Lafferty, of Sarasota, far left, and Toniann Loria, of Bradenton, center, gather outside the Ringling College of Art and Design campus on Monday, March 5, 2012 in the hopes to catch a glimpse of stars such as Selena Gomez and Ashley Benson as filming for Harmony Korine's film "Spring Breakers" began. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
One of the film stars for "Spring Breakers" — Ashley Benson, as identified by area teens gathered at the set — enters one of several trailers set aside for actors at Ringling College of Art and Design on March 5, 2012, where shooting began for the Harmony Korine film starring James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Benson. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
One of the film stars for "Spring Breakers" — Ashley Benson, as identified by area teens gathered at the set — enters one of several trailers set aside for actors at Ringling College of Art and Design on March 5, 2012, where shooting began for the Harmony Korine film starring James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Benson. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Sarasota County Sheriff's deputies and other security workers guard the various entry points to Ringling College of Art and Design, including a crew area, on March 5, 2012 as filming begins on campus for Harmony Korine's film "Spring Breakers," with stars such as Selena Gomez on set for the week-long shoot. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Sarasota County Sheriff's deputies and other security workers guard the various entry points to Ringling College of Art and Design, including a crew area, on March 5, 2012 as filming begins on campus for Harmony Korine's film "Spring Breakers," with stars such as Selena Gomez on set for the week-long shoot. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Sarasota County Sheriff's deputies and other security workers guard the various entry points to Ringling College of Art and Design on March 5, 2012 as filming begins on campus for Harmony Korine's film "Spring Breakers," with stars such as Selena Gomez on set for the week-long shoot. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Sarasota County Sheriff's deputies and other security workers guard the various entry points to Ringling College of Art and Design on March 5, 2012 as filming begins on campus for Harmony Korine's film "Spring Breakers," with stars such as Selena Gomez on set for the week-long shoot. (Elaine Litherland, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

From left, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, Rachel Korine and Selena Gomez star in "Spring Breakers," which filmed scenes in Sarasota and St. Petersburg, Florida. A sequel written, directed by and starring Bella Thorne has been announced, though a filming location has not been set. Read more.

Recently DeWitt praised the far-right John Birch Society for hosting a "great class on the Constitution." 

The John Birch Society has a long, ugly history of promoting conspiracy theories, segregation, the Red Scare and Islamophobia. It remains on the Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch list.

While blaming the school district for being "$43 million in the red," DeWitt supports universal vouchers, which are directly to blame for the shortfall. Vouchers cost Florida public school districts $5 billion this past school year.  

In campaign Facebook posts, DeWitt invokes "God and country," and Sarasota being God's community.

Regardless of DeWitt's personal faith, School Board members must respect the separation of church and state to ensure all feel welcome.

District 1 candidate Jimmy Glover will do just that.

Mr. Glover has years of experience volunteering in his community and mentoring young people, and he has 30 years of experience in customer service, teamwork and crisis management.

He is committed to academic excellence for all our students. 

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Herald-Tribune chose poorly with Sarasota School Board pick | Letter