Ryan Petty
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Ryan Petty | |
|---|---|
 Petty in 2019 | |
| Born | January 15, 1970 |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University |
| Organization | The WalkUp Foundation |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children | 4, including Alaina Petty |
| Website | ryanpetty.com  |
Ryan Blaine Petty (born January 15, 1970) is an American school safety activist. His 14-year-old daughter Alaina Petty was murdered in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on February 14, 2018.[1] Petty is credited with helping to pass the "Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act" Florida Senate Bill 7026 just three weeks after his daughter Alaina was murdered.[2][3] At the federal level, Petty worked with Senators Orrin Hatch, Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson to pass the STOP School Violence Act and the Fix NICS Act of 2017.[4] He has met frequently with former Florida governor Rick Scott, and many federal lawmakers.
Ryan Petty ran for Broward County School Board in 2018, narrowly losing in the primary to incumbent Donna Korn. Petty was endorsed by two sitting U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch and Marco Rubio, unusual for a local school board race.[5] Senator Rubio credited Petty for his work to improve school safety and his help in passing the STOP School Violence Act.[6] Governor-elect of Florida Ron DeSantis, a Republican, included Petty on his Transition Advisory Committee on Public Safety.[7] In January 2020, Petty was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Florida State Board of Education.[8] Petty was confirmed by the Florida Senate in March 2020 in a 23-16 vote along party lines.[9] As of 2026, Petty is chair of the State Board of Education.[10]