US AG Asks Authorities To Investigate Threats Made Against School Officials, Teachers

This week, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland asked federal authorities to work on a rising trend of disruption and threats at school board meetings. 

Local school board meetings have become a hotbed of debate over issues of masking policies and changes to curriculum. 

The attorney general issued a memorandum Monday and stated the Department of Justice has seen a “disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, against school administrators, board members, teachers and staff.”

They said protection of “spirited debate does not extend to threats of violence.”

This comes after the National School Board Association sent an urgent letter to the department, asking for support for school boards across the country under attack over COVID policies and debates about Critical Race Theory. 

Oklahoma City police Master Sgt. Gary Knight said the department’s intelligence office is not tracking any threats of this kind at the moment. 

Yukon Public Schools said they worked with federal authorities a couple of years ago over a rash of threats, but haven’t seen an upward trend. 

Edmond Public Schools reported no direct threats. 

Oklahoma City Public Schools said they always have security at board meetings. 

Secretary of Education Ryan Walters said he’s concerned about federal involvement.

“I want schools to encourage parents to attend school board meetings. I want schools to continue to have an open dialogue with parents on what they want from their school, on how to improve their school,” he said. 

The National School Board Association wants the federal authorities to provide intelligence to local police so they can anticipate any serious threats of violence to school boards. 

Garland said the DOJ will announce more in the coming days.