Ķvlog

Opinion
Families & the Community Letter to the Editor

Do Not Platform Extremists

September 19, 2023 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

To the Editor:

I am disappointed that Education Week would give any platform to Tiffany Justice, a Moms for Liberty co-founder (“‘Parents Can’t Trust Their Schools,’ Moms for Liberty Co-Founder Tiffany Justice Says,” June 30, 2023). Moms for Liberty has been identified as an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Speakers at the Joyful Warriors Summit referenced in the interview include such purveyors of hate speech and anti-government sentiment as Katharine Gorka, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, and KrisAnne Hall.

Regardless of our political or religious views, Ķvlog need to create an inclusive, safe, and productive environment for all children. A group whose followers create disruptions and disseminate threats in school board meetings; reject the authority of federal, state, and local government; are critical of social-emotional learning and counseling services; and spread baseless accusations about “indoctrination” should not be given the soapbox of a full page in a professional periodical.

Moms for Liberty started by opposing COVID-19 restrictions and fighting mask mandates in schools. They moved on to anti-critical-race-theory activism and homophobic witch hunts.

When asked how the group’s work helps improve student achievement, Justice responded: “Love is an expertise,” stating the obvious, that parent involvement in their children’s education is a “win-win.” Unfortunately, coming from Tiffany Justice, what it really means is parents, regardless of whether they know what’s happening in their children’s school or not, have the right to interfere with Ķvlog who are merely attempting to do their jobs in a climate free of harassment and accusations. This group’s words have no place in the pages of this periodical.

Jennifer Warner
Principal
Sonoma County, Calif.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 20, 2023 edition of Education Week as Do Not Platform Extremists

Events

College & Workforce Readiness Webinar How High Schools Can Prepare Students for College and Career
Explore how schools are reimagining high school with hands-on learning that prepares students for both college and career success.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
GoGuardian and Google: Proactive AI Safety in Schools
Learn how to safely adopt innovative AI tools while maintaining support for student well-being. 
Content provided by 
Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Supporting Struggling Readers in Middle and High School
Join this free virtual event to learn more about policy, data, research, and experiences around supporting older students who struggle to read.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Families & the Community Q&A What the Lapse in SNAP Funding Shows About the Role of Schools
An emergency fund will help school coordinators with students' needs during the government shutdown.
4 min read
Volunteers work at a drive-up food and school supply distribution location at Sunset Station Casino in Henderson, Nev., on April 29, 2020. The center was a joint effort between local organizations, including Communities In Schools of Nevada. Communities In Schools affiliates have helped students with a surge of need during a lapse of federal nutrition aid.
Volunteers work at a drive-up food and school supply distribution location at Sunset Station Casino in Henderson, Nev., on April 29, 2020. The center was a joint effort between local organizations, including Communities In Schools of Nevada. Communities In Schools affiliates have helped students with a surge of need during a lapse of federal nutrition aid.
Erik Kabik/MediaPunch/IPX via AP
Families & the Community Should Kids Miss School for Vacation? Parents Say Yes, Teachers Aren't So Sure
Parents seem increasingly comfortable pulling their children out of school for vacations, Ķvlog say.
1 min read
Tight cropped photo of the back of a woman holding the hand of her elementary aged son while they drag their light blue rolling suitcases behind them in an airport.
iStock/Getty
Families & the Community Schools Scramble as SNAP Lapse Nears, Affecting Students and Staff
Schools prepared by partnering with food pantries to provide food for families.
5 min read
Volunteers with Houston Independent School District and the Houston Food Bank distribute food on May 18, 2024, at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center in Houston.
Volunteers with the Houston school district and the Houston Food Bank distribute food following a destructive storm on May 18, 2024, at Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center in Houston. Schools, which often team with community organizations to respond to crises, are preparing for a lapse in SNAP funding that could leave students and some staff vulnerable to hunger.
Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP
Families & the Community A Guide to Building a School Calendar That Maximizes Attendance
Districts strategically schedule long weekends, work days, and spirit weeks to help boost attendance.
5 min read
Illustration of people sticking post-it paper of business plan short notes on big calendar.
iStock/Getty