The Justice Department has threatened to prosecute parents for protesting against woke public school boards in a shocking memorandum that some say is proof Biden's administration is trying to outlaw any opinion that doesn't match its own.
In an announcement on Monday, the DoJ said it had engaged the FBI and local law enforcement to tackle the 'disturbing trend' of teachers being threatened or harassed. The order came from Biden's Attorney General, Merrick Garland.
While he doesn't mention mask mandates, vaccine policies or CRT - the most widely contested issues in schools - he says the uptick has been in 'recent months', a time in which woke school boards across the country have seen furious parents protest their policies and teachers quit their jobs over them.
The order comes a week after the National School Boards Association wrote to Biden, asking him to protect them from angry parents.
Many parents say Garland's memo is an attempt by the government to outlaw opinions that don't match its own liberal views.
Furious Republicans on Tuesday are telling constituents to contact their offices if they are targeted by the laws.
Florida Governor Ron de Santis fumed that Garland is 'weaponizing' the DoJ against parents.
AG Merrick Garland issued this memo yesterday warning parents that they will face prosecution for protesting against schools and teachers in a way the government deems to be threatening
Parents protest mask mandates in schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 12
Many accused Biden of implementing a double standard after laughing off far-left activists accosting Arizona Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema in a bathroom stall because she opposed Biden's $3.5trillion 'Build Back Better' bill.
In his memo, Garland said there was a 'disturbing' trend of violence.
'In recent months there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers and staff who participate in vital work of running our nation's public schools,' Garland wrote in his memo.
'While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views.
'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.
Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum on Monday ordering law enforcement agencies across America and the FBI to 'address' the issue
'In the coming days, the Department will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.'
Parents have reacted angrily, questioning the evidence behind the apparent uptick in threats and asking if the same rule applies to teachers or school boards who try to ostracize them for protesting woke rules.
Many called it an 'abuse of power' and 'sickening' example of the government going after law-abiding parents.
'It seems there are two tiers of justice under the Biden Administration: Those who align with them politically and those who don't. Democrat rioters and Antifa destroyed cities and even threatened to burn it all to the ground if President Trump won reelection last year, and Attorney General Garland and FBI Director Wray have given them a pass.
'But the moment parents speak up about their children being taught poisonous Critical Race Theory, they spring into action and label these parents 'domestic terrorists.'
'It's truly sickening,' Rep. Dan Bishop said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
'Attorney General Garland's memo is a complete abuse of power and is clearly an attempt to silence parents for exercising their First Amendment rights on behalf of their children.
'What we are seeing across the country is parents finally stepping up and petitioning their local government for redress of grievances.
'While legitimate threats of violence are of course unacceptable and should be handled by local law enforcement, the Department of Justice has engaged in a frightening escalation with this shot across the bow of passionate moms and dads in a blatant effort to chill their freedom of speech,' Ian Prior, former Principal Deputy Director of Public Affairs at DoJ told DailyMail.com on Tuesday morning.
Rep. Ken Buck called the effort 'shameful'.
'AG Garland is more focused on using the DOJ to intimidate parents exercising their 1st amendment rights, than he is in stopping the spike in violent crime. Totally shameful,' he tweeted.
'I'm deeply concerned the already politicized Department of Justice is getting involved in our education system,' said Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI).
'Threats of violence are completely unacceptable; however, this is nothing more than a scare tactic to silence parents who are pushing back against unnecessary mandates and an agenda they disagree with being forced down our children's throats. Rep. Ken Buck called the effort 'shameful'.
The memorandum comes amid ongoing battles over mask mandates in public schools for kids.
In California, parent-run groups have sued the state to overturn the mandate which they say infringes on their children's rights unnecessarily.
All kids and staff in New York schools must also wear masks indoors.
Many parents say it's unnecessary when fewer than 500 kids have died from COVID since the start of the pandemic - far fewer than the number of children who die every year in car accidents, drownings, or shootings.
The NSBA wrote to Biden last week asking him to enlist law enforcement to protect teachers amid ongoing debate over mask mandates, vaccinate policies and liberal lessons.
'America's public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat,' the letter to Biden said.
The memorandum adds fuel to the fire over COVID policies and woke curriculum in schools across the country.
This week, California became the first state to mandate vaccines in all schools for kids once they receive full FDA approval.
Some parents said it was a premature move, given the lack of evidence surrounding the effects of vaccines on kids under 12 and the increasing evidence that COVID in kids is less deadly than in adults.
'I think any mandate on this vaccine for kids is way too soon.
'We keep hearing the buzzwords 'safe' and 'effective,' but I think the question for kids should be: is this necessary?' Sarah Burwick, a lawyer in Los Angeles and parent of a soon-to-be 5-year-old told the AP when it was announced.
Loudoun County in Virginia has become a microcosm for the issues that are tearing teachers and parents apart across the country.
The schoolboard there has seen teachers quit in protest over transgender policies that include allowing kids to use whichever gender's bathroom they want to on any given day, and making staff adopt chosen pronouns.
Now, the county is considering paying reparations to black residents.
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