After Flagler Election Loss, DeSantis Gives Barrs School Board Seat

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Derek Barrs to a vacant seat on the Flagler School Board two months after he lost his campaign for a full term in office. Barrs replaces Sally Hunt, who resigned to move to Georgia. Barrs did not live in District 1 as of August, and so would presumably not be able to run for a term in his new seat unless he were to move by 2026. Barrs, a retired law enforcement officer, has no career education experience prior to this appointment save for his School Board campaign. He was defeated earlier this year by Janie Ruddy, a career educator, in a close race. Barrs came up just short of Ruddy in that August primary election, garnering 12,257 votes representing 49.42% of the electorate. Ruddy amassed 12,545, giving her 50.58%. DeSantis endorsed Barrs in the run-up to the election but Flagler voters did not oblige. He’ll now have his pick after all. DeSantis’ office announced the appointment on Wednesday, in a one-paragraph statement by his media staff. “Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Derek Barrs to the School Board of Flagler County,” the statement said. “Barrs is the Associate Vice President for HNTB Corporation. Active in his community, he currently serves as a member of the American Trucking Association Law Enforcement Advisory Board, the Florida Trucking Association, and the Flagler Sheriffs Employee Trust Board of Directors. Barrs earned his associate degree in criminal justice from North Florida College and his bachelor’s degree in public administration from Flagler College.” Looking Forward The political makeup of the Flagler School Board now sits meaningfully different from where it was prior to Hunt’s resignation. Three Board members have been endorsed by DeSantis, despite the county’s voters only electing two. Hunt defeated another DeSantis-endorsed candidate, the incumbent Jill Woolbright. Should the Board be faced in the next two years with another politically divisive issue as they did with mask mandates, vaccines, and library books, the new balance of the School Board could have long-reaching impacts on the county. “Earlier today, Governor DeSantis appointed me to fill the vacancy for the Flagler County School Board Seat for District 1,” Barrs said in a response on his briefly-defunct political Facebook page. “I am truly humbled by the Governor’s appointment and confidence in me to serve in this capacity. My priorities will be to keep schools safe, ensure high-quality education for all, support teachers and staff, and foster community partnerships. I look forward to working together with the board and our Superintendent to reach our full potential and provide a world class education for our students in Flagler County.”