WESTON, Fla. – A Weston private school, among four whose school choice scholarships were suspended by the Florida Department of Education over alleged “direct ties to the Chinese communist party,” is pushing back on claims of foreign influence.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office claimed two schools run by Sagemont Academy, located at 2585 Glades Circle and 1570 Sagemont Way, and the two other schools have connections to the Chinese regime that “constitute an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the school’s students and the public.”
“The Chinese Communist Party is not welcome in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We will not put up with any attempt to influence students with a communist ideology or allow Floridians’ tax dollars to go to schools that are connected to our foreign adversaries.”
The governor’s decision Friday all stems from the ownership of Sagemont.
Its website says this in small print:
“Spring Education Group is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, an investment firm (together with its affiliates) principally based in Hong Kong with operations in China, Singapore, and the United States, that is itself owned by Chinese persons residing in Hong Kong.”
The California-based Spring Education Group runs 220 schools in 19 states.
On its website, Primavera Holdings Limited touts its Chinese ties. But Sagemont leadership denies any foreign influence.
“Our schools are locally run, abide by local, state and federal laws, and do not have ties to any government or political party, either foreign or domestic,” a statement reads.
For now, the school plans to work with families to ensure students can remain enrolled.
The school has 15 calendar days to appeal the state’s decision.