Erika Donalds, wife of Florida gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds, made a stop at Florida International University on Wednesday night, not to stump for her husband, but to advocate for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and other conservative education reforms, reports POLITICO Florida.
The event was the first of her "Free to Speak" campus tour with the conservative Leadership Institute. Her appearance drew a crowd of about 40 students, introducing a young audience to someone with a significant background in education policy who could play a role in shaping Florida’s future.
Donalds, a Visiting Fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy, laid out her critical assessment of the nation’s education system as “wasteful, bureaucratic, monopolistic,” according to POLITICO Florida.
She shared her personal and professional experience, including working to abolish Common Core, her time on a school board, and seeking the right school fit for her own son. Her reform-minded proposals included privatizing the student loan system and having more organizations administer standardized testing. She also urged students to prioritize degrees that lead to well-paying jobs.
Had an incredible time speaking at @TPUSA_FIU last night!
— Erika Donalds (@ErikaDonalds) October 16, 2025
The students asked insightful, challenging questions and showed true curiosity, courage, and patriotism. 🇺🇸
Our future is bright with young leaders like these stepping up for freedom and truth. pic.twitter.com/ha4j9N5LSN
Donalds said the COVID-19 pandemic prompted parents to consider their options, leading to lower enrollment in some school districts.
“We have been trying to get the school districts to close underutilized schools for years,” she said. “They refuse to close them, and that is such a lack of accountability. If parents don't want a school, it should not exist.”
The event was organized by FIU's Turning Point chapter and the conservative Network of Enlightened Women.
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Donalds told POLITICO Florida that interest in bringing conservative voices to campuses has increased following the assassination of Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who had endorsed her husband's gubernatorial run.
“I want to do everything I can to carry on his legacy and promote free speech and open debate, Socratic discussion, civic literacy — which he was very passionate about promoting, the founding of our country,” Donalds told POLITICO Florida in speaking of Kirk. “I do feel a weight of responsibility to carry on what Charlie started.”
When asked about teachers losing their jobs over social media posts concerning Kirk’s death, Donalds stressed that hate speech is not illegal “unless it incites violence or is threatening.” While saying each situation needed to be examined individually, she concluded it was “reasonable” for public schools to “take action” in cases of callous or inappropriate comments about violence.
"As a parent and as a conservative who's closely aligned with Charlie Kirk,” she told POLITICO Florida, “I certainly don't want my children in the care of someone who may be celebrating that my friend was killed because he believed how I believe.”
Donalds will continue her tour in November, with stops planned at Florida Atlantic University on Nov. 3, and Florida State University on Nov. 6.
