School board association in cahoots with Biden White House over 'domestic terrorism' email

Outrage exploded among parents earlier this year when the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a letter to President Biden warning that “threats and acts of violence” at school board meetings could be acts of “domestic terrorism.”

And although the NSBA recently admitted that there was “no justification for some of the language included in the letter,” newly released emails reveal that the organization coordinated with the White House and the Justice Department before sending President Biden the now infamous letter, Fox News reported.

The documents, acquired by Parents Defending Education through a Freedom of Information Act request, show that NSBA President Viola Garcia sent a memo to NSBA members on Oct. 11 outlining the organization’s interaction with the White House before the letter was sent to Biden on Sept. 29.

"Concern over the current climate for school board members is also a top priority as disruptions at school board meetings grow and members face growing threats," Garcia wrote. "NSBA has been actively engaged with the White House, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Education, Surgeon General, and other federal agencies.”

"In the September 14, 2021 meeting of the [NSBA Organization of State Association Executive Directors] liaison group, they were informed there had been a meeting with White House staff that morning and that NSBA was preparing to send a letter to the President. Subsequently, on September 17, 2021, the interim Executive Director emailed notice to the state association executive directors that indicated a letter requesting federal assistance would be sent."

"In response to the letter sent by NSBA, on October 4, 2021 the Attorney General announced in a memorandum widely shared throughout the U.S. Department of Justice that he was ordering all U.S. Attorney Offices and local FBI offices to reach out to local and state law enforcement officials to coordinate efforts on this problem within 30 days of the memorandum," Garcia also noted.

Another email showed that NSBA had been in talks with the White House "for weeks" before sending the letter. The email further showed that Chip Slaven, an NSBA executive, added examples of “threats” he felt the White House should be aware of, Fox News exclusively reported.

Ultimately, the NSBA suffered serious blowback and has since apologized.

Since the letter was published, parents showed up to school board meetings wearing T-shirts that said “Parents are not domestic terrorists” and 21 state school board associations officially distanced themselves from the letter. School board associations from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri distanced themselves from the NSBA altogether.

In recent months, parents have challenged school board members across the country over issues like harsh COVID-19 mitigation policies and the introduction of critical race theory in the classroom. No instances of domestic terrorism have yet been reported.

On Oct. 13, well after the apology was issued, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced that Ms. Garcia was appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board, the body which oversees the standardized tests known as “the Nation’s Report Card.”