On Monday, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the FBI will hold strategy sessions with federal, state, and local law enforcement to address “a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff.” These strategy sessions are expected to occur within the next 30 days.
Garland released a statement saying, “Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values. Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety.”
BREAKING: Attorney General Merrick Garland has instructed the FBI to mobilize against parents who oppose critical race theory in public schools, citing "threats."
The letter follows the National School Board Association's request to classify protests as "domestic terrorism." pic.twitter.com/NhPU03YOYq
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) October 4, 2021
This announcement comes on the heels of an urgent request from the National School Board Association (NSBA). The association, representing over 90,000 school board members across the country, asked President Biden for federal assistance to stop and investigate threats. The NSBA claims threats are being made over mask mandates, critical race theory, even likening the threats to a form of domestic terrorism.
According to The Independent, NSBA also requested, “The Justice Department FBI, Homeland Security, and Secret Service to help monitor threat levels and assess risks to students, educators, board members, and school buildings.”
The DOJ will also be starting a task force to help address the issues. According to Fox News, The DOJ will also determine how the federal government could use its powers to prosecute crimes and to assist local law enforcement in incidents that are not federal crimes.” Local school boards and administrators will receive special training teaching them how to recognize behavior that constitutes a threat. They will also get help in preserving evidence and reporting incidents to the proper law enforcement channels.
The NSBA details in a letter sent to President Biden what they feel are threats in 20 separate incidents occurring in several states.
In September, an Illinois man was arrested after striking a school board member. A letter sent to an Ohio school board member allegedly said, “We are coming after you. You are forcing them to wear masks — for no reason in this world other than control. And for that, you will pay dearly.”
NSBA interim Executive Director and CEO Chip Slaven said Garland sent “a strong message to individuals with violent intent who are focused on causing chaos, disrupting our public schools, and driving wedges between school boards and the parents, students, and communities they serve.”
Parents who are critical of this move cite the Biden Administration’s attempt to bully them into abandoning their First Amendment rights. After Garland’s response, Slaven said, “We need to get back to the work of meeting all students’ needs and making sure that each student is prepared for a successful future. That’s what school board members and parents care about.”
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