AN ISSUE THAT IS GROWING FAST – OVERNIGHT:   Parents are being shoved out of their children's education by radical school boards, teachers unions, and left-wing Democrats determined to get control of children's minds.  Sound familiar?  Look up the history of any dictatorship.  And it can happen here.  This issue is growing faster than any I've seen in recent years.  It may well play a decisive role in next year's Congressional elections.  And it leads directly into school choice.  From the New York Post: 

Politicians and parents are joining together to slam the Department of Justice’s recent decision to bring in the FBI to investigate what it called a spike in “harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence” against school teachers, administrations, board members and other staff.

In recent months, dozens of parents have taken a stand in school board meetings against the teaching of Critical Race Theory in classrooms and to protest mask mandates, causing some to wonder what the FBI and DOJ are actually investigating.

The DOJ move was spurred by the National School Boards Association asking the Biden administration for assistance, suggesting that there have been threats and acts of violence and equating those to domestic terrorism.

“Dear @TheJusticeDept Merrick Garland and @FBI Director Christopher Wray, This is what a domestic terrorist looks like? You are criminalizing parenting, and you owe the people of America a swift apology,” Asra Nomani, vice president of investigations and strategy at Parents Defending Education, posted on Twitter.

She sarcastically signed the missive, “‘Domestic Terrorist,’ Asra Nomani.”

Namani’s group has been researching how school boards across the US implement “woke” ideas into curricula, such as critical race theory.

In a separate tweet, Nomani claimed Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a “declaration of war” on parents when he announced the initiative on Monday.

Another parent, Nicole Solas from Rhode Island, accused the FBI of being “the politics police,” while claiming any “legitimate” violence is already “sufficiently addressed by your local police.”

“Arrest me,” she said in another tweet.

Garland’s decision was made after the National School Boards Association asked the Biden administration for assistance.

In a memo released Monday, Garland announced that while “spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats or violence or efforts to intimate individuals based on their views.”

The investigation will be looking at the recent spike in acts of violence against school staff members, however, Garland’s memo did not specify what those acts were.

In a Sept. 29 letter, the National School Boards Association said much of this opposition led to dozens of incidents at school board meetings this year, claiming, “America’s public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat.”

The NSBA suggested that “[a]s these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes” and asked that the administration review the question.

While Garland’s memo follows the NSBA’s request for help, he did not specify whether incidents related to the implementation of mask mandates or critical race theory would be investigated.

Additionally, the memo does not classify the incidents as domestic terrorism.

“Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values,” Garland wrote.

“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.”

Many parents, however, still see the order as targeted towards them.

“This is a coordinated attempt to intimidate dissenting voices in the debates surrounding America’s underperforming K-12 education – and it will not succeed. We will not be silenced,” Parents Defending Education said in a Monday statement.

Elicia Brand, a parent from Loudoun County, told Fox News that parents “owe this to our children” and generations after to “stand strong in their fight for freedom.”

COMMENT:  Read the rest.  It's chilling.  As one parent said in the above story, any actual threats of violence are easily covered by laws already on the books and by normal responses of local police.  We do not need the involvement of the Justice Department or other federal agencies.

I have no doubt that the real purpose of these latest government moves is intimidation of parents who dare to speak out.   Just wait until a dissenting parent gets a visit from a federal officer "just asking for information."  You'll feel the chill.

This is an issue upon which Republicans must take a principled stand.  Thoughtful Democrats should as well, but I don't see any of them sticking their heads up.

October 5,  2021