Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Names Parkland Dad Ryan Petty To State Board Of Education

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday appointed Ryan Petty, whose 14-year-old daughter Alaina was killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, to the Florida Board of Education.

Members of the state board have the power to implement new rules and curriculum changes for Florida's public education system. Petty, the senior vice-president of Cable & Wireless Communications, has been involved in the state education arena since the Parkland shooting, in which 17 students and faculty were killed.

Petty, who cast a losing bid for the Broward County School Board months after the Feb. 14., 2018 shooting, was appointed by former Gov. Rick Scott to serve on a statewide public safety commission established following the massacre.

The commission is tasked with analyzing shortfalls in school-security measures and making recommendations to state lawmakers. In a press release announcing the appointment Tuesday, DeSantis also highlighted Petty's work as a founder of "The WalkUp Foundation."

The non-profit organization aims to "prevent the causes of violence in schools through advocacy and intervention," according to release. Petty's four-year appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

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