State school board groups in Illinois, other states revolt over parent
directive
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[November 20, 2021]
By Kevin Bessler
(The Center Square) – The Illinois
Association of School Boards is part of a growing number of state school
board groups cutting ties with a national organization that likened
parents protesting at meetings to domestic terrorists.
The National School Boards Association has been under fire after it sent
a letter sent to federal officials in September asking for help. The
U.S. Justice Department then instructed the FBI to monitor and
investigate parents who they deemed troublesome for protesting the
teaching of critical race theory and mask mandates in schools.
The Illinois Association of School Boards voted Thursday to end its
membership with the National School Boards Association.
“The board recognizes the need for a healthy national organization that
can provide training, federal advocacy, shared resources, and networking
opportunities,” the organization said in a statement. “IASB no longer
believes that NSBA can fill this important role.”
The NSBA board of directors repudiated the letter its two top officials
sent to President Joe Biden. In a message to NSBA members, the board
said that “we regret and apologize for the letter.”
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Republican members of Congress revealed internal FBI
documents that showed the FBI is “tagging” parents nationally who
have allegedly harassed school board members, raising First
Amendment concerns.
“This brings us back to the days of Hoover and
McCarthyism essentially labeling good honest American citizens are
now being vilified and basically tracked by our own Department of
Justice,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-North Carolina, told Fox
News.
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The FBI responded to the claims, insisting that the agency is not
infringing on First Amendment rights and is not investigating
parents who speak out at school board meetings.
At least 26 state school boards associations have distanced
themselves from the NSBA over the controversial letter. Of them,
thirteen discontinued membership or stopped paying dues as Illinois
did.
“Parents should never be treated as domestic terrorists for showing
up at school board meetings to advocate for their kids,” said U.S.
Rep. Mary Miller, who represents Illinois' 15th District. “I believe
that Illinois parents and families should play a central role in
their children’s education, not the federal government.” |