Staff Reports
The directive issued by Attorney General Merrick Garland to the FBI, which calls for measures to be taken against parents protesting at school board meetings, is facing scrutiny and has been accused of "intimidating parents and silencing their voices," as per the statement made by Tyson Langhofer, who serves as the senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the world's largest legal organization dedicated to protecting free speech.
‘Intimidating Parents Into Silence’: Garland’s FBI Order On School Meetings Had ‘Chilling’ Effect, Attorney Testifies https://t.co/rh0Smom0B4
— US Burning (@UsBurning) March 23, 2023
According to Langhofer, Garland's directive has caused a definite sense of fear and hesitation among parents, who are now unsure of their rights, thereby enabling the Biden administration to further their own interests. The NSBA had written a letter to the Biden administration last year, in which they likened parents attending school board meetings to "domestic terrorists." This letter was what prompted Garland to issue his directive.
From AG Garland's 2021 memorandum to proposed Title IX changes, the gov't has boldly threatened parents, chilled their #FreeSpeech, and cut out their fundamental role in determining their child's upbringing.
To the Biden Admin: these are constitutionally protected rights. pic.twitter.com/F1rWOEUcx5
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) March 23, 2023
"The administration refused to resend the memorandum, despite the public public backlash. After threatening parents into silence, the administration proposed to formalize the very policies they opposed by redefining sex and Title IX to have included sex orientation and gender identification." said Langhofer.The administration endorsed policies that mandated schools to implement social transitions for students, while keeping parents in the dark about it. For parents, this situation is not just about the concealment of social transitions but also about schools implementing them against parental objections.
According to a press release by ADF, Langhofer acted as a legal representative for three teachers who protested against a policy of the Loudoun County School Board that mandates educators to refer to students by their preferred pronouns, even if they don't align with their biological gender. As a result of comments made by one of the teachers during a school board meeting, he was suspended from his position within the district.
The hearing revealed that Garland's order had "no legitimate basis" and was "very poorly received." The majority of "threats to school boards" reported to the Department of Justice were unrelated to politics, and law enforcement stated that they did not "see any immediate threats to school boards or their members."
According to the report, the FBI received 25 "guardian assessments" or tips regarding "school board threats," six of which were handled by the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. The FBI launched an investigation into a father who "railed against the government," while a mother was probed for being a gun owner and supporter of a "right-wing mom's group."
Langhofer stated, "The Biden administration 's steps are both chilling and blatantly restricting the most basic constitutional rights of parents." Langhofer prompts the subcommittee to take every step possible to combat this overreach by the executive branch.
Despite this clear violation of parental rights, the FBI has been silent in responding to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. It is important for everyone to know the truth and exercise their rights to ensure that there is a balance in decisions that directly or indirectly affect them.
