Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan firmly believes in keeping local politics separate from national politics, as demonstrated during her recent meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris in Jacksonville.
While she supports Harris’ stance on Florida’s new standards for teaching Black history, she maintains her focus on local issues and customer service, such as infrastructure and community needs.
During an interview on “First Coast Connect,” Mayor Deegan emphasized the importance of building relationships with people in the community, which has been a priority for her since taking office.
She highlighted the desire among voters for a more collaborative and productive city government that prioritizes progress over divisive politics.
Despite her emphasis on local matters, Mayor Deegan endorsed Harris’ critique of the DeSantis administration’s new education standards.
She argued that recognizing people’s humanity and teaching an honest account of slavery’s history is crucial for Jacksonville’s students. She believes that addressing these important issues is the responsibility of the mayor.
While Mayor Deegan is hopeful about potential federal government actions, she remains interested in observing how the state and its residents respond to the ongoing debate over the new standards.
