By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – Republicans in Congress slammed a U.S. Justice Department initiative that would protect school board members from violent threats. It was designed to stop people who are angry about anti-racism curriculum or masking mandates.

They questioned Attorney General Merrick Galrland at a House Judiciary Committee Hearing about the Oct. 4 memo he sent to federal prosecutors and FBI telling them to respond with local law enforcement to a growing number of threats against school board members. These threats were fueled by allegations that schools’ curricula address racism as attacks on America.

“They are going to openly spy on parents. This is what Republican Representative Jim Jordan said. Jordan stated that the Justice Department would pursue parents who are against racist America curriculum.

Garland’s testimony refuted the accusation, stating that the department was trying to stop violent threats against school board members – usually low-profile positions and occasionally volunteer ones.

Garland repeatedly stated to lawmakers that “we are only concerned with violence.” The Justice Department defends and supports the First Amendment rights of parents to make as many complaints as they want about education.

In a September 29 letter addressed to President Joe Biden, the National School Boards Association requested federal law enforcement assistance for local boards dealing with these threats.

In the letter, the author cited several incidents including an Illinois arrest for battery during a board meeting and another Michigan meeting where someone shouted Nazi slogans during protests against the use masks in schools in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Among the school boards across the country facing the most scrutiny https://www.reuters.com/world/us/partisan-war-over-teaching-history-racism-stokes-tensions-us-schools-2021-06-23 is one in Loudoun County, Virginia, located about an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C.

After months of allegations that the school was teaching critical race theory, a doctrine that holds that racism is deeply ingrained within U.S. institutions and law. This academic doctrine maintains that slavery and segregation created an inequitable playing field for Black Americans.

Critics claim there’s no proof that the theory developed in law school is taught in primary schools.

According to a spokesperson, members of Loudoun County’s School Board received thousands of “derogatory” and “threatening” messages in May.

One June 23rd email included a racist slur about Black Americans. It said, “Not at my school, and not with my children, but keep your dirty… hands from my kids.”

Jamie Raskin, a Democratic Representative, accused Republicans of intentionally misinterpreting Garland’s memo.

Raskin declared that not a member of the committee had cited one sentence in your memo, which Raskin claimed violated anyone’s rights.