The Center Square
By John Haughey
October 7, 2021
(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into a “disturbing spike” in threats against school boards nationwide is designed to intimidate “concerned parents.”
“Attorney General Garland is weaponizing the DOJ by using the FBI to pursue concerned parents and silence them through intimidation,” DeSantis tweeted Tuesday. “Florida will defend the free speech rights of its citizens and will not allow federal agents to squelch dissent.”
The order, issued Monday by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, was in response to a call by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) for federal action in addressing threats of violence against, and harassment of, school board members, administrators and teachers since the COVID-19 pandemic turned school districts in many states – including Florida – into battlegrounds over mask mandates and other pandemic protocols.
School boards, administrators and educators are under “immediate threat” in dealing with the pandemic and contrived backlash over the “false inclusion” of critical race theory into curriculum, NSBA warned in a Sept. 29 letter to President Joe Biden.
In a Monday memorandum to FBI Director Christopher Wray and federal prosecutors, Garland said he will meet with federal, state and local leaders to discuss strategies within the next 30 days and that the DOJ will create a training guide “to help school board members understand, report and preserve evidence of a threat.”
“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.”
Federal agencies will also roll out a “series of additional efforts,” including a federal task force, in the coming days, Garland said.
In a Tuesday statement to Fox News, DeSantis Press Secretary Christina Pushaw said it is uncertain how DeSantis will challenge Garland’s order in defense of “free speech rights,” other than monitoring its implementation to “protect the rights of Floridians from government overreach and the inappropriate politicization of federal law enforcement.”
While the governor is squarely in parents’ corner, all parents aren’t in the same corner when it comes to mask mandates and other enforced protocols. DeSantis maintains parental choice is paramount, regardless of what that choice is.
“Several Florida school board members, including Democrats and Republicans, have reported receiving threats and harassment from activists on both ends of the political spectrum,” Pushaw said. “This is wrong, and anyone who is a victim of a crime should report it to their local police department. Florida law enforcement is perfectly capable of responding to crimes in Florida, and we have never heard the FBI suggest otherwise.
“However,” she continued, “disagreement is not harassment. Protest is not terrorism, unless it involves rioting, looting and assault, like some of the left-wing protests of summer 2020. Again, all of those actions are crimes in Florida and will be prosecuted, regardless of political context. Gov. DeSantis condemns any attempt by the federal government to silence free speech. It is despicable and anti-American.”
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the state’s only statewide elected Democrat and a contender for the party’s nod to challenge DeSantis in 2024, said Floridians are tired of being “embarrassed” by their governor.
“Attorney General Garland is using law and order to protect children, parents, and teachers from crime,” Fried said. “Florida will continue to be embarrassed by Gov. DeSantis and his contempt for the law and the safety of our children.”
DeSantis is at it again, stirring up fear and hatred and condoning violence. I think politically it’s going to backfire on him. He goes too far, and sensible Republicans our beginning to understand how Trump and his minions have set this country back.
but the AG stating that the parents who disagree with the school boards decisions publicly can be labeled as a “domestic terrorist” but do nothing about the BLM/Antifa rioters that burned, looted and killed. Yea, brilliant.
Threatening to maim, kill, abuse the children of, school board members (or anyone else) is a crime. If you condone that, as DeSatan clearly does, makes you as much of a punk criminal as those making the threats. And no, I do not condone such actions by ANYONE.
Teri, Please show us an example of DeSantis condoning threats to school board members or their children. Simply because you may not like DeSantis doesn’t equate to you being able to toss out falsehoods about him.
Did you bother to READ the article?? Let me summarize for you:
1) there is a SHARP increase in THREATS to school board members
2) The DOJ is investigating the source of those threats
3) DeSatan criticizes the investigation of the threats and their source as a violation of the first amendment..
MY statement is….it’s NOT a violation of the first amendment as threats are not protected speech.
Was that simple enough for you?
Labeling someone as a “domestic terrorist” in an official government capacity has very real and life-long consequences. It should not be used lightly, and not in a situation where a parent is voicing their disapproval of how the school is educating their children. It’s wildly inappropriate.
Mark, You continue to make outrageous statements, with no examples to support them. DeSantis isn’t the one stirring up fear and hatred or condoning any violence!! DeSantis continues to support the choice of the parents to decide what is best for their children. What more could you ask for as a parent with a child/children in public schools?
a government that silences the people is not a society of a people who live free.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws which regulate an establishment of religion, or that would prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, or the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
Threats and hate speech are NOT protected by the first amendment.
Just follow the money: FB funds Panorama Education, founded by Merrick Garland’s son-in-law, which profiles school kids & provides CRT training materials,
I guess DeSatan missed the part about “threats.” “concerned parents” and reasonable citizens don’t make threats to life and health of those they disagree with and their families….that is a CRIMINAL ACT and needs to be treated as such. And a governor who would condone such behavior is just as much of a punk criminal.
Everyone’s comments are very interesting. Threats and Violence are already against the law in the State of Florida. The more important topic is where does the Federal Government, under the Constitution, have the authority to usurp the rights of a state. I don’t find it anywhere in those powers delegated to the Federal Government from the sovereign states. Please let me know where I’m wrong.
See the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, Joe. Post Civil War.