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 How One District Uses Tech Nights to Bring Families Into Learning
A technology resource teacher provides tips for creating events that parents will actually attend.
2 min read
Aarnavi Gupta, 8, and her father, Chanchal, review a coding project about a family trip to the beach at “Creative Coding: A Morning of Making” as part of a Remake Learning Days program held at South Fayette Intermediate School on May 23, 2022 in McDonald, Pa.
Aarnavi Gupta, 8, and her father, Chanchal, review a coding project about a family trip to the beach at South Fayette Intermediate School on May 23, 2022 in McDonald, Pa. Providing opportunities for parents and students to learn together can help increase their engagement with the school; some districts are featuring tech tools in these kinds of activities.
Jeff Swensen for Education Week
Families & the Community Q&A Want to Reach Parents? Try a Podcast
A district technology leader discusses the value of podcasts and how to start one.
3 min read
D. M. Therrell High School student Ja'Marion Hulin, 17, who runs the school's record company, Panther Records, laughs with another student in the school's podcast recording room on Jan. 27, 2025, in Atlanta.
D. M. Therrell High School student Ja'Marion Hulin, 17, who runs the school's record company, Panther Records, laughs with another student in the school's podcast recording room on Jan. 27, 2025, in Atlanta. Podcasts can be another way for schools to increase family engagement.
Brynn Anderson/AP
Families & the Community How to Go Deeper on Family Engagement
There is a discrepancy in understanding what family engagement is and how it can be utilized to support schools in their COVID recovery efforts, according to a new report.
5 min read
Miranda Scully, Director of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) for Fayette County Public Schools, serves food to students and parents during a ACT prep class held at the Family Connection Center on Dec. 12, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. The Family Connection Center offers programs like ESL classes, college preparation, and household budgeting and money management classes. Family engagement is crucial for COVID recovery, but not all in the education field define it in the same way.
Miranda Scully, director of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) for Fayette County Public Schools, serves food to students and parents during a ACT prep class held at the Family Connection Center on Dec. 12, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. The Family Connection Center offers programs like ESL classes, college preparation, and household budgeting and money management classes.
Michael Swensen for Education Week
Families & the Community The Low-Cost, Low-Lift Way These Districts Used to Reduce Student Absences
Dozens of districts tested this strategy as one component of their absenteeism-fighting strategy.
6 min read
Photograph of the front of a schoo lbus driving on a country road with trees, fencing, and a yellow sign reading School Bus Stop Ahead.
iStock/Getty