Florida School Board Recommends Resignation of Member Involved in Sexual Assault Investigation
A Florida school board voted Tuesday to recommend the resignation of one of its members because she's embroiled in the fallout of a sexual assault investigation into her husband, the Republican Party state chairman.
The Sarasota County School Board can't directly remove Bridget Ziegler from the panel but voted 4-1 Tuesday for a resolution requesting that she step down. The resolution was authored by board Chair Karen Rose, who said in an email that she is "shocked and deeply saddened" by the rape allegations involving Ziegler's husband, Christian Ziegler, and the couple's admissions about having a three-way sexual encounter previously with the accuser.
"I personally care about Bridget and her family and deeply regret the necessity for this course of action, but given the intense media scrutiny locally and nationally, her continued presence on the Board would cause irreparably harmful distractions to our critical mission," Rose wrote.
Bridget Ziegler is co-founder of the conservative Moms for Liberty group. She's served on the board since 2014, when she was appointed by then-Gov. Rick Scott, and has previously been its chair.
Board Member Stays Despite Disappointing Vote
Despite voting against a resolution, a board member has decided to stay in her position. The member, Bridget Ziegler, expressed her disappointment but did not indicate any intention to step down. She remained on the board's dais after the vote.
Protesters Call for Resignation
Prior to the meeting, a group of protesters gathered outside, demanding Bridget Ziegler's resignation. They carried signs with slogans such as "Ban Bridget, not books" and "Real women aren't homophobes." Among the protesters was Carol Lerner from Support Our Schools, a nonprofit organization that advocates for public education. Lerner stated, "Bridget Ziegler must apologize and resign." She also referred to the Zieglers as "grifters."
Another board member, Tim Enos, commented on the situation, saying that it is ultimately up to Bridget Ziegler to decide whether to quit. He mentioned that only Florida's governor has the authority to remove a school board member, and only under specific circumstances, such as a criminal charge. Enos emphasized the importance of focusing on education and keeping politics out of the boardroom, stating, "It should be only about the kids."
Allegations vs. Christian Ziegler
The Sarasota Police Department is investigating a woman's accusation that Christian Ziegler raped her at her apartment in October. Police documents say the Zieglers and the woman had planned a sexual threesome that day, but Bridget Ziegler was unable to make it. The accuser says Christian Ziegler arrived anyway and assaulted her, according to the documents.
Christian Ziegler hasn't been charged with any crime and maintains his innocence, contending the encounter was consensual. Scott, now a U.S. senator, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Florida Republicans have called on him to step down as GOP chair, but he's refused to.
In a recent message to Florida Republicans, Christian Ziegler said he would remain as chair "because we have a country to save and I am not going to let false allegations of a crime put that mission on the bench as I wait for this process to wrap up."
Christian Ziegler's lawyer, Derek Byrd, said in an email Monday that he is "hoping (the) investigation is closed soon." A Sarasota Police Department spokesperson said there's no timetable for the probe to conclude.
Political backdrop
Bridget Ziegler has long been active in conservative politics. She was a champion of the DeSantis-backed law known by critics as "Don't Say Gay" that restricts teaching of sexual and gender material in early school grades. Moms for Liberty, which she co-founded in 2021, seeks to inject more conservative viewpoints into schools, restrict transgender rights, battle pandemic mask mandates and remove books the group objects to from school classrooms and libraries.
In addition, Bridget Ziegler has been appointed by Governor DeSantis to the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which now oversees the operations of Walt Disney World. This panel was created by the Legislature at the request of Governor DeSantis after Disney objected to the "Don't Say Gay" law. The board is currently facing state and federal lawsuits regarding control of the large theme park located outside of Orlando.
Critics, including Democrats, argue that the Zieglers are hypocritical due to the alleged sexual activities that are in complete contradiction to the conservative views they promote, especially towards LGBTQ individuals.
"The Zieglers have consistently attacked anything they perceive as a threat to 'family values,' whether it be reproductive rights or the existence of LGBTQ+ Floridians," stated Nikki Fried, Chair of the state Democratic Party. "The level of hypocrisy in this situation is astounding."
The state GOP has scheduled a meeting in Orlando on Sunday to discuss the future of Christian Ziegler as party chair.
