The federal Department of Education launched a new council designed to quell parental concerns in education that is composed of activists who publicly defended a letter dubbing parents “domestic terrorists,” according to online records.
On Tuesday, the Education Department launched the “National Parents and Families Engagement Council” with the hope that parents can “constructively participate in their children’s education.” The group was created as parents nationwide take to school board meetings to express their concerns over gender ideology and critical race theory-inspired curricula permeating classrooms.
The council is working with representatives from national organizations, including one that publicly defended a letter from the National School Board Association (NSBA) calling on the White House and Department of Justice (DOJ) to sic the FBI on concerned parents. (RELATED: National School Board Walks Back Letter Comparing Parents To ‘Domestic Terrorists’ After Bombshell Emails Exposed White House Collaboration)
Keri Rodrigues, the president of the National Parents Union, alleged that parents are putting death threats on school board members and such issues should be dealt with by the DOJ, not local law enforcement. She made these comments after a concerned parent called for other parents to continue to speak up despite threats from the DOJ.
“If you threaten to kill school board members, you SHOULD hear from the Justice [Department],” Rodrigues said. “Some of these anti-mask/CRT knuckleheads tried this with us a couple weeks ago.”
More lies & distortion from Erika. If you threaten to kill school board members, you SHOULD hear from the Justice Dept. Some of these anti-mask/CRT knuckleheads tried this with us a couple weeks ago when we were testifying about ACTUALLY IMPORTANT SHIT & found out REAL QUICK. https://t.co/1qngRwlcRK
— Keri Rodrigues (@radiokeri) October 8, 2021
The National Parents Union also advocates for critical race theory in the classroom. The organization claimed that “denying critical race theory is denying our history.”
“The National Parents Union believes that education systems must be transformed to eradicate generational institutions of oppression,” a statement from the group reads.
Other organizations the Department of Education is working with include The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocate; Fathers Incorporated; Girls, Inc.; League of United Latin American Citizens; Mocha Moms; National Action Network; National Military Family Association; National Parent Teacher Association; The National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment; United Parent Leaders Action Network; and UnidosUS, among others.
Erika Sanzi, the Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education, told the Daily Caller that the council meant to quell parents’ concerns about education issues will not succeed with left-wing activists on the board.
“If this parent council is meant to quell parent concerns, the Biden administration probably shouldn’t have included groups that advocate for the very things parents are concerned about and excluded groups who oppose those things,” Sanzi said.
The U.S. Department of Education referred the Daily Caller’s questions to the department’s press release.