Silver State Times

After U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland circulated a memo regarding to threats to school administrations, candidates in the race for governor in Virginia debated a parent’s role in school curriculum and people turned to the First Amendment in defense. 

In the memo to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and state attorneys general, Garland expressed concern about an increase threats and harassment of school administrators, staff, faculty and board members. Across the country, parents have lashed out at boards over mask mandates and the alleged instruction of critical race theory. 

"The Department takes these incidents seriously and is committed to using its authority and resources to discourage these threats, identify them when they occur and prosecute them when appropriate,” Garland said in the memo. 

In a letter to President Joe Biden, the National School Boards Association cited instances of school board meetings being disrupted in Georgia, Florida and California over mask mandates designed to protect students, faculty and staff from COVID-19 as well as over allegations of critical race theory being taught in schools. 

“This propaganda continues despite the fact that critical race theory is not taught in public schools and remains a complex law school and graduate school subject well beyond the scope of a K-12 class,” the association said in its letter. 

The debate rages across the country. During a debate in Virginia, candidates for governor chimed in on the issue, Real Clear Politics reported Sept. 28. Citing a tweet, the website noted Republican Glenn Youngkin wants parents to make decisions about their children’s education. However, Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate in the gubernatorial race in Virginia said those issues should be handled by the schools. 

“I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,” he said. “I'm not going to let parents come into schools and actually take books out and make their own decisions."

Moreover, writing in the National Review, Senior Fellow Andrew C. McCarthy said that parents’ protests against school officials are likely protected as free speech under the First Amendment, except in cases when they clearly call for the use of force or incite violence. He said actual threats must meet a high threshold. 

In Colorado, a group parents have initiated a recall effort of three members of the Bolder Valley School District Board of Education over their decision to require students to wear masks, Boulder Daily Camera reported. The recall committee has 60 days to obtain 15,000 signatures for a recall. 

The board members dubbed the recall effort as a distraction to the community. The Daily Camera estimated cost for the recall could top $670,000. 

Joanna Miller, Clark County Education Association communications director; Summer Kay, Washoe Education Association executive director; and Alexander Marks, Nevada State Education Association communications specialist, did not respond to questions for a local perspective on this issue.