Hartzler calls on Biden Administration to stop calling parents "domestic terrorists"

(From Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler)

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) called on the Biden Administration to reject the National School Board Association’s (NSBA) portrayal of parents protesting School Board decisions as taking part in domestic terrorism. 

Further, Hartzler joined her colleagues in questioning Attorney General Garland’s announcement that the FBI would take the lead in investigating parents who in its view intimidate or harass school board members and school administration officials.

“As a former teacher and a parent, I am appalled that the National School Board Association would portray parents who disagree with school board decisions as domestic terrorists. I call on the Biden Administration and specifically the Attorney General to reject this reckless labeling of parents for speaking out against a radical agenda being taught to their children,” said Hartzler. “This is a blatant effort by the left-wing educational establishment to cancel parents who disagree with them, and the President along with the Attorney General must reject this.”

“Unfortunately, instead of rejecting this, it appears Attorney General Garland is doubling down on efforts to silence parents,” added Hartzler.

She noted that Garland announced this week that the FBI would take the lead on the law enforcement response to what Garland called “a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff.” This comes after the NSBA called the opposition to Critical Race Theory being taught in schools as “propaganda” and claimed that education leaders are being threatened by “domestic terrorism.”

“No one should be subject to threats of violence, and for those rare occasions when attendees at School Board meetings meet this threshold, it becomes a legal matter. However, the weaponizing of the Department of Justice to intimidate and silence parents who disagree with how their children are being taught is reprehensible. This is not Communist China. This is the United States of America,” added Hartzler.

Hartzler joined her colleagues in demanding answers from Garland, including how the DoJ views “criminal conduct” and the role the FBI will play in investigating parents. In a second letter to Garland, Hartzler further takes issue with the role the Attorney General is playing in intimidating parents who challenge the things their children are being taught in school. Both letters can be found here and here.

“Let me be very clear. Parents have every right to play a role in their children’s education. This includes speaking out against Critical Race Theory and the inconsistent, almost schizophrenic approach that some school systems have taken in dealing with COVID-19,” said Hartzler. “If you ever wondered why the American people have a distrust in government, look no further than Biden’s Department of Justice and its efforts to silence and intimidate those parents who disagree with the indoctrination of their children.”