(NewsReady.com) – In 2020 and 2021, there was an uptick in threats against school administrators and boards. Parents were anxious to send their kids back to in-person learning without forcing them to undergo any medical treatments or have to cover their faces. Tempers flared occasionally. Attorney General Merrick Garland responded by issuing a memo that made Republicans furious. During a recent Senate hearing, the AG spoke about it.
On March 1, Garland testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for four hours. Throughout the hearing, Republican senators accused the AG of politicizing the Department of Justice by targeting Conservatives but allegedly leaving Democrats alone.
In 2021, Garland’s memo ordered authorities to investigate threats against school members. His directive pointed out that threatening public officials was illegal and said its department was dedicated to using “resources to discourage these threats, identify them when they occur, and prosecute them when appropriate.”
Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) said the government should “encourage parents” to get involved in their kids’ lives. The Republican lawmaker asked the AG if he understood his directive would have a “chilling effect” on parents when he told the counter-terrorism and criminal divisions to investigate them.
Garland responded to the lawmaker and said he didn’t direct the DOJ to investigate “parents who are concerned about their children.”
In 2021, The Washington Post reported school boards had received death threats and abuse online. Police officers across the country were forced to attend meetings to protect board members from possible attacks. In Illinois, law enforcement arrested a man who assaulted a school board member. In New York, three people were taken into custody after outbursts. The list goes on.
The AG went on to explain that the memo was directed at “violence and threats of violence” against school employees. And it was issued when there was an increase in both against those officials.
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