As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day this coming weekend, we want to say thank you to the women who are tirelessly serving their families and trying to do what is best for their children. Magazines, the internet, morning news, etc. all have suggestions for this year’s “best gift,” but here’s something to consider ---

This time of year many mothers are anxiously mulling over decisions about schools for their children. Just this past week, I spoke with a single mother who had moved school districts in an attempt to move away from bullies her son faces at school. I also spoke with another almost-kindergarten-mom fretting over the financial strain of sending her daughter to something other than her assigned school and the concerns that her daughter will not thrive where she has been assigned.

The best gift? Maybe the best thing we can offer mothers that we care for is the deep sense of relief that comes from knowing that their children will have the education that protects them and suits them best. In fact, the governor’s race in Florida made it clear this is a gift that mothers value. The Wall Street Journal reports,

Republican Ron DeSantis owes his victory in the Florida gubernatorial election to about 100,000 African-American women who unexpectedly chose him over the black Democratic candidate, Andrew Gillum… To be sure, 18% of the black female vote in Florida is equal to less than 2% of the total electorate. But in an election decided by fewer than 40,000 votes, these 100,000 black women proved decisive.

So, why did DeSantis have such strong support from African-American women? It can only be summed up in his support for educational freedom. 100,000 low-income students in Florida participate in the Step Up For Students program, a tax-credit funded scholarship that lets the child attend a private school. Most Step Up students are minorities whose mothers are registered Democrats. However, many consider educational freedom the “civil rights issue of our time.” Therefore, protecting the ability to choose where their children go to school was a priority for many “school-choice moms” no matter how they affiliated politically. The issue also helped gain 44% support from the Latino community.

Education is important to mamas no matter where they live, who they are, or how they affiliate politically.  As my grandfather told me, “Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Today, we wish all mothers a happy Mothers Day, and we promise to continue our efforts to make more of them happy and at peace about their children’s futures.