Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), a gubernatorial candidate, was widely mocked Monday after a video clip of him preaching the importance of literacy went viral – for all the wrong reasons.
“Our kids have to be prepared to hit the ground running on day one, and being able to master reading is at the core of that,” Donalds said at a recent event after having unveiled his plan to improve childhood literacy.
Donalds delivered his remarks, however, in front of a podium with a glaring spelling error, one that read: “Read to succeed; achieveability,” a misspelling of the word “achievability.”
“Veep level s---,” wrote political strategist Mike Nellis Monday in a social media post on X to his more than 135,000 followers.
Clarence Hill Jr., a veteran NFL reporter who covers the Dallas Cowboys, quipped: “Florida man; Florida education.” Novelist Lorraine Evanoff asked their 25,000 followers on X whether Republicans had “any shame at all.”
And Shawn VanDiver, a civic leader and president of an organization that helps Afghan evacuees, took Donalds' gaffe as a warning sign as to the state of the American education system.
“This whole country needs a reset on education, childcare, and healthcare,” VanDiver wrote in a social media post on X to his more than 38,000 followers.
Donalds is hoping to succeed Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump in the race.
This whole country needs a reset on education, childcare, and healthcare. https://t.co/iL98ngmJAF
— Shawn VanDiver (@shawnjvandiver) June 14, 2026