The group of attorneys general alleged Wednesday the association and the Biden administration colluded on the letter. The 11 attorneys general, in a letter sent Tuesday, demanded Garland revoke his Oct. 4 memo deploying the law enforcement agencies and provide all correspondences between the administration and the NSBA.
“This directive is intrusive and has been put forth without cause or justification, as evidenced by the apology issued by the NSBA,” Carr said in a statement. “This attempt by the Biden-Harris administration to chill the free speech of those who would express disagreement regarding government policies, including matters as serious as our children’s education, is incredibly alarming and in direct contrast to our First Amendment. We will continue to fight against this type of unwarranted federal action to protect the rights of Georgia’s families.”
In the September letter, the NSBA accused parents of “domestic terrorism and hate crimes” and called on officials to use the Patriot Act, which allows law enforcement to increase surveillance and punishment for terrorism. Many state school board associations detached from the national association because of the letter.
Carr and the other attorneys general also sent a letter to the NSBA on Tuesday, demanding it joins the coalition in urging Garland to revoke his directive. They also asked the NSBA to provide copies of correspondence between it and the administration.
“Attorney General Garland’s reliance on the NSBA letter is troubling enough, but potential collusion between the White House, the DOJ, and the NSBA in the actual creation of the September 29 letter – as a pretext for threats against parents – raises serious concerns,” the attorneys general wrote.
