Is another far-right candidate running for Orange County School Board in 2024? Here's what we know

Orange County has four school board seats up for re-election in 2024, and there is one race in particular that is drawing concern from liberals over past comments, social media posts and affiliations that indicate one candidate's support for right-wing policies.

Jeni Grieger, a former teacher and political newcomer running for Orange County School Board District 6, has been accused by her opponents of being affiliated with Moms for Liberty, a far-right "parental rights" organization.

Founded in Florida in 2021, Moms for Liberty has historically organized in favor of anti-LGBTQ policies in schools, including the removal of books from school libraries that they deem inappropriate (often, but not always containing LGBTQ+ themes) and anti-trans rules regarding bathroom and locker use. 

Orange County already has one Moms for Liberty member on the school board: Alicia Farrant, a first-term school board member elected in 2022 to represent District 4. Farrant has argued in favor of restricting access to books she describes as “filth” and has spoken out against efforts by other board members to ensure schools are inclusive toward LGBTQ+ students, amid an onslaught of anti-transgender policies championed by Republican state officials.

Grieger, when questioned by Orlando Weekly about her affiliation with Moms for Liberty, among other policy positions, declined an interview request via an email response through an unnamed spokesperson.

In her response, Grieger denied accusations of her alleged affiliation with Moms for Liberty, despite supporting similar positions as the group on issues such as COVID-19 protocols in schools and the treatment of transgender students.

“While my opponent has hobnobbed for months with politicians and political groups, I have remained focused on how I can support the students, faculty, staff, and ultimately the community of Orange County Public Schools by knocking on doors and meeting with community members and I have not joined a political group of any sorts and have not been endorsed by Moms For Liberty,” Grieger wrote in a statement.

“This is a narrative being pushed out by my opposition because they represent the status quo and don’t want to talk about the crisis that’s happening in our schools,” she continued, in a response that is identical to one she shared with a dubious resident on Facebook. “I am not a member of moms for liberty and have not been endorsed by moms for liberty. I’m a mom for literacy,” Grieger wrote.

A recent paid advertisement mailed to voters on behalf of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee, obtained by Orlando Weekly, indicates otherwise.

One recent mailer, for instance, describes Grieger — a registered Republican — as a “book banner” and places her alongside Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis standing behind a lectern with a Moms for Liberty sign.



Grieger’s opponent Stephanie Vanos, a registered Democrat, has also described Grieger as a Moms for Liberty-aligned candidate. Grieger has not officially received the endorsement of the group, nor has DeSantis.

Both Vanos and Grieger are running for an open seat on the school board currently occupied by Karen Castor Dentel, who will run for Orange County Supervisor of Elections this year.

This leaves the seat in what is officially identified as a nonpartisan race up for grabs.

Is Grieger as extremist as her opponents say?

Grieger, a mother of three young boys, is a former public school teacher who taught various courses at Lake Mary High School in Seminole County, ranging from economics to American government, from 2002 to 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She’s a registered Republican running for a nonpartisan seat in a district that leans Democratic. According to county elections office data, her school board district had 58,425 registered Democrats, 36,112 registered Republicans, and 35, 452 voters registered as “No Party Affiliated” as of June.

Grieger has largely kept politicized language off her social media campaign accounts and campaign website. The number one issue emphasized repeatedly by Grieger’s campaign is school literacy rates, which she argues are not up to par.

“Our campaign has been focused on literacy since day one, and I am glad the literacy rate of OCPS has received so much attention from my supporters as well as my opponent and their supporters,” Grieger told Orlando Weekly.  “While OCPS teachers are allowed to use structured literacy training as part of their personal development points, it is not the standard OCPS uses, and we need to make that our top priority.”


Grieger has specifically stressed a desire for the school district to use “science based literacy programs.” When asked by the Weekly for clarification on this term, Grieger described this as a form of reading that comes from “decades of research in fields including brain science that point to effective strategies for teaching kids to read.”

“This science is incredibly crucial for our students who struggle with learning how to read,” she added, linking to an online phonics program titled We Can All Read.

More controversial than her stated desire to boost student literacy, however, are her positions on social and so-called culture-war issues.

In a candidate survey for the Christian-affiliated iVoterGuide, Grieger demonstrated support for several right-wing positions, including common anti-LGBTQ+ talking points.  iVoterGuide, a division of the conservative and Christian fundamentalist American Family Association (AFA) Action, describes itself as "the nation's largest candidate research organization focused exclusively on information and mobilizing voters with biblical values."

In her questionnaire, Grieger for instance stated support for teaching abstinence in schools’ sex-ed, leaving resources for an unwanted pregnancy out of schools, and stated that she disagrees with supporting the concept of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.


In addition, she shared that she “strongly agree[s]” with forbidding “biological males” from participating in women’s sports or accessing other gender-specific spaces for women, including bathrooms and locker rooms — echoing the sentiment of other right-wing elected officials and Moms for Liberty.

“Biological females deserve to feel safe while competing and while in a changing room, as do biological males,” Grieger told Orlando Weekly.  “Forcing biological females to share their private spaces with biological males is not fair.”

Like the Moms for Liberty-affiliated school board member Alicia Farrant, Grieger seems to struggle on the issue of transgender rights, despite voicing acceptance of all students. On the social media platform X, Grieger’s campaign account recently wrote "Disgusting" in response to a post by Riley Gaines on U.S. House Democrats’ opposition to an attempt to block new Title IX regulations.


Such regulations, announced by the Biden-Harris Administration, aim to in part provide greater protections for LGBTQ+ students. Gaines, a former competitive swimmer, is known as an anti-transgender activist who has compared transgender identities to "spiritual warfare."

On same-sex marriages, Grieger shared agreement with the position that marriage is “a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman,” but explained that she also plans to “fight” for all students regardless.

“As a school board member, I will respect and treat all families well. I will fight for all students to get a strong education whatever their family looks like. Some families are man and woman, and some families have same sex parents, single parents, no parents and are raised by family, friends, or guardians- no matter what, I will fight for the education!” her response reads.

Grieger, who is friendly with Farrant, was also photographed at a recent Pine Hills community event alongside DeSantis-appointed state attorney Andrew Bain and local Republican Willie Montague. The trio also hosted a community town hall together in June.

Alicia Farrant, in a Facebook post about the Pine Hills event, displaying the three, commented, “I love this!!! Powerhouse leaders right here!”

Montague, a repeat candidate for elected office who is vying (again) for a U.S. Congress seat currently held by Orlando's Maxwell Frost, has been known to associate with far-right blogger and Proud Boys associate Jacob Engels, and aligns himself with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) wing of the Republican Party.  According to a Facebook video, Engels and Montague participated in an anti-abortion counter-protest together back in 2022.

On public health regulations, Grieger in her iVoteGuide candidate survey shared that she “strongly disagree[s]” with school districts mandating health precautions, including masks and vaccines, to “protect students and staff” in the event of a pandemic.

Moms for Liberty, founded the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, built its base in part through mobilizing parents opposed to student mask mandates and quarantine policies implemented to protect students and staff from a deadly illness.

Furthermore, Grieger has also received the backing of Brittney Jones, a local political activist and real estate agent affiliated with the anti-vax Florida Freedom Keepers group. Jones, who also serves as co-founder of the 'America-First' group Florida Christian Patriots, similarly backed Farrant during her 2022 campaign for the county school board.

Grieger's opponent Stephanie Vanos did not submit questionnaire responses to iVoterGuide, which nonetheless identified Vanos as a “liberal” candidate.

Getting past the 'culture wars'

When reached for comment by Orlando Weekly Tuesday, local mom and public schools advocate Stephanie Vanos criticized her opponent's positions on issues that align with far-right groups.

“I have been an engaged member of this community for over twenty years and have spent the last fifteen months of my campaign talking with District 6 community members,” Vanos shared. “Her answers, supporters, and financial backers highlight her alignment with the Moms for Liberty agenda and do not reflect the values of our community.”

Vanos, who is leading in fundraising efforts by by nearly three-to-one, has campaigned on creating a “safe, welcoming learning environment” for students. Her policy platform also advocates for eliminating “culture wars and political agendas” in classrooms, according to her campaign website, by focusing on issues students, staff, and parents “actually care about,” naming as examples improvements to district operations, access to quality academic counseling and workforce opportunities, and efficient use of public funds.

Unlike Grieger, Vanos' campaign boasts a full slate of local and state endorsements, including endorsements from the Florida Democratic Party, the Orange County teachers’ union, Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer, and organizations such as the Equality Florida PAC and the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.

Both Vanos and Grieger have expressed a desire to address issues such as teacher retention, safety in classrooms, and better compensation for teachers. According to national rankings by the National Education Association, Florida ranks near-dead last in the country for average teacher pay — an issue that teachers’ unions (like the NEA) say has played a key role in persuading some teachers to leave the profession or the state.

School board elections in Florida are currently nonpartisan, meaning they’ll show up on the ballot of all voters in memes’ respective districts, regardless of political affiliation. Each member of the school board serves four-year terms.

Florida's Primary Election is scheduled for August 20, 2024, while the General Election date is scheduled for Nov. 5. You can find more information about voting dates or how to vote-by-mail on the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office website.

Grieger's full statement

Grieger, the candidate accused by her opponents of being far-right, "respectfully" requested that we include her full statement to Orlando Weekly, in full context without editing. Here's her full, lengthy statement:

The term “science-based” reading refers to decades of research in fields including brain science that point to effective strategies for teaching kids to read. This science is incredibly crucial for our students who struggle with learning how to read. Kareem Weaver of the NAACP once stated, “Illiteracy is the pipeline to incarceration.” Please understand that when children can’t read, they become anxious and insecure and behavior issues soon follow. As the only teacher running for OCPS School Board District 6, I am passionate about this subject because I have first hand experience in this area, and what works. I’d be happy to discuss this subject further, or if you’d like to research for yourself, here is a good place to start.

Everything I do for kids comes from love and care for all of them. ALL students, should have the greatest protections and be kept safe at all times and in all environments. As the only teacher in this race, I have the experience to create a safe and positive learning environment for ALL students. As the daughter of a police officer who spent countless hours off duty serving the most vulnerable parts of our community, I grew up with a servants heart that wants every single member of our amazing community to be successful.

Biological females deserve to feel safe while competing and while in a changing room, as do biological males. Forcing biological females to share their private spaces with biological males is not fair. Can we work together to find a meaningful solution and create safe spaces for all , while not taking away from other spaces ? I believe we can lovingly engage together, and find a place to make all these students feel seen and safe . Payton McNabb suffers long term physical and mental illness from a volleyball match where a biological male who identifies as transgender injured her. There are many biological women who have been injured by biological males in sports, so I propose we work with the transgender community for a solution where everyone can be safe.

Our campaign has been focused on literacy since day one, and I am glad the literacy rate of OCPS has received so much attention from my supporters as well as my opponent and their supporters. I’m thankful that all the information I have been putting out there has grabbed the attention of so many. While OCPS teachers are allowed to use structured literacy training as part of their personal development points, it is not the standard OCPS uses, and we need to make that our top priority.

While my opponent has hobnobbed for months with politicians and political groups, I have remained focused on how I can support the students, faculty, staff, and ultimately the community of Orange County Public Schools by knocking on doors and meeting with community members and I have not joined a political group of any sorts and have not been endorsed by Moms For Liberty. This is a narrative being pushed out by my opposition because they represent the status quo and don’t want to talk about the crisis that’s happening in our schools. The fact is, a majority of our students cannot read and we have struggling schools in District 6. Just look at College Park Middle School and Lake Silver Elementary and how many families feel compelled to flee those schools. I will work to fix that. I am not a member of moms for liberty and have not been endorsed by moms for liberty. I’m a mom for literacy.

Orlando Weekly will follow this developing story as the 2024 campaign season continues.


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