House GOP Pushes Back Against School Board Group Calling Parents ‘Domestic Terrorists”

 Last month, the National School Boards Association labeled parents ‘domestic terrorists’ in a letter to President Biden’s administration.  After a nationwide backlash against the organization, House Republicans are demanding that NSBA officials appear before Congress to explain the reasoning behind the letter.  “Parents have an undisputed right to direct the upbringing and education of their children, including expressing concerns about the inclusion of controversial curricula in their child’s education,” wrote Rep. Jim Jordan, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.  The NSBA describes itself as an organization that “Advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership.”

 

As of this week, evidence has surfaced that the NSBA coordinated with the Biden administration before sending their notorious letter calling parents domestic terrorists.  “Viola Garcia, the NSBA president whom the Department of Education later named to a federal board, sent a memo to NSBA members on Oct. 11 (but dated Oct. 12), providing a timeline of the NSBA’s interaction with the White House ahead of the letter to Biden, which the NSBA sent on Sept. 29.”  via FOX news.  As part of Rep. Jordan’s inquiry, he would like to know the extent to which the White House coordinated with the NSBA before the letter was published.  “Who did they contact at the White House? What was discussed? Did they lay out the whole plan [together]?” he said. “All that needs to be dealt with.”

As of this week, 23 different state school board associations have distanced themselves from the NSBA following the letter, while 7 have withdrew from the NSBA entirely.  The NSBA reportedly wrote the letter without consulting any of the state level school board associations, causing widespread backlash.