School boards and county commission boards nationwide have seen an uptick in deranged rants and threats of violence in the wake of Republican hysteria over critical race theory, mask mandates, and transgender students.
One woman in Kansas said at a county commissioners meeting that members would be "tried for crimes against humanity" for mandating masks in schools, absurdly claiming there was "zero evidence that COVID-19 exists in the world." In Pennsylvania, a GOP gubernatorial candidate vowed to storm school boards with "20 strong men" in order to "remove" them from their posts. In Virginia, a school board meeting was declared an unlawful assembly after attendees grew increasingly belligerent.
The National School Boards Association wrote to President Joe Biden asking the Justice Department for an expedited review of the growing threats against school board members.
The letter reads in part:
"As these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes."
Earlier this week, the Justice Department announced it would ramp up its monitoring of threats to school boards, prompting further conservative outrage. For example, right-wing Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri misleadingly suggested the Department of Justice was going after peaceful parents politely stating their opinions to school board members.
And during a White House press briefing this week, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked press secretary Jen Psaki if the administration agreed with the National School Boards Association's likening of the threats to domestic terrorism.
Watch below.
Fox News' Peter Doocy: "Does the administration agree that parents upset about their kids' curriculums could be considered domestic terrorists?"\n\nWH Press Sec. Jen Psaki: "Regardless of the reasoning, threats and violence against public servants is illegal."pic.twitter.com/WeM1ClG7K7— The Recount (@The Recount) 1633553524
Doocy asked:
"Does the administration agree that parents upset about their kids' curriculums could be considered domestic terrorists?"
Psaki responded:
"Well let me unravel this a little bit because the National School Board Association is not a part of the U.S. government. I'd point you to them. What the Department of Justice said in a letter from the Attorney General is that, 'threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation's core values.' That is true. These were threats against public servants, threats against members of the school board, regardless of the reasoning, threats and violence against public servants is illegal."
Doocy's bad-faith question was slammed by social media users.
Too bad some Reporters are bad at listening to what was said, and actually hearing what was said, and then twisting it around\u2026https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1445854393539207172\u00a0\u2026— Denise (@Denise) 1633618359
Peter Doocy must be embarrassed that he can't form his own questions. Or does Fox understand that he is too stupid to ask any on his own???https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1445854393539207172\u00a0\u2026— Schwatzy aka: Art Schultz, Liberal (@Schwatzy aka: Art Schultz, Liberal) 1633617486
Another @FoxNews talking point presented by the dynamically insipid @pdoocy is brilliantly dulled by facts presented by Jen.\n\n"Thank you, @PressSec."https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1445854393539207172\u00a0\u2026— Steve Dick (@Steve Dick) 1633558223
Violence motivated by political ideology is a canonical definition of terrorism— Hartmann the Anarchist (@Hartmann the Anarchist) 1633555768
He\u2019s such a clown— Sue O (@Sue O) 1633553693
Doocy works hard (although it\u2019s not very noticeable) on framing his questions in an attempt to illicit a \u2018faux pas\u2019 headline he can send to Fox.\n\nHe\u2019s not once succeeded.\n\nStill, Fox is never short of headlines.\n\nWhat\u2019s this brat\u2019s salary?\n\nHe\u2019s probably earning more than Psaki.— Jed (@Jed) 1633565285
They praised Psaki's response.
She has such class as she puts this guy in his place time and time again.— KJoJoe (@KJoJoe) 1633554997
Go Jen! Facts. Law and order!https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1445854393539207172\u00a0\u2026— Rod Lenniger (@Rod Lenniger) 1633570812
She is so good\u2026https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1445854393539207172\u00a0\u2026— Yoly (@Yoly) 1633580011
Nevertheless, conservatives like Fox host Tucker Carlson are already running with the false narrative that Biden's administration is labeling parents of students "domestic terrorists."
