Garland defends memo on violent threats to school boards
CBSN
Washington — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended himself against claims from Senate Republicans that a memo he issued about violent threats to school board members could have a chilling effect on parents who are seeking to voice their concerns about their children's education.
Garland's one-page memo, issued October 4, has become a flashpoint in a broader battle waged by Republicans against the Biden administration and schools over mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory, an academic concept developed by legal scholars to examine the ongoing effects of racism in American policies and institutions.
Opposition to the two issues by parents of school-aged children have led to protests and disruptions of school board meetings, and two officials with the National School Boards Association asked President Biden last month for federal assistance in responding to threats made against local school board members, school administrators, teachers and staff over COVID-19 mitigation measures and the public school curriculum in different states.
