Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) has penned a letter condemning the National Association of School Boards’ (NASB) memo to the Department of Justice equating threats of violence toward school board members with 'domestic terrorism.'

Critics of the association said the memo will send the Justice Department after parents concerned about their children's education.

The IASB did not respond to an inquiry from Prairie State Wire on its stance at first but on Oct. 20 it released a statement denouncing the national body.

“While the letter drew attention to reports of physical and verbal threats made at some publicly held school board meetings, including isolated incidents here in Illinois, the incendiary language used in it detracted from that message,” the ISAB wrote.  

The IASB further noted it had already been in conflict with the NASB over “problems related to governance, transparency, and financial oversight.”

“IASB suspended payment of dues to NSBA for 2021-2022, and sought to address these concerns through changes to the governance structure of the national association,” the group wrote.  

The IASB encouraged local school boards to work with law enforcement if problems arise.

“IASB believes in local control and will continue to support its member boards in providing effective local governance to their school districts during these challenging times. Boards of education are encouraged to work directly with local law enforcement to find solutions that protect individuals and to ensure that meetings can be conducted without disruption,” the IASB wrote.  

NASB had requested law enforcement assistance from Attorney General Merrick Garland to “protect our students, school board members, and educators who are susceptible to acts of violence affecting interstate commerce.”  

Garland, who graduated from Niles West High School and lived in Lincolnwood, ordered the DOJ to investigate groups that have been sending threats to local school boards.

The NASB said groups opposed to masking and critical race theory were behind its push to involve federal law enforcement.

“Coupled with attacks against school board members and educators for approving policies for masks to protect the health and safety of students and school employees, many public school officials are also facing physical threats because of propaganda purporting the false inclusion of critical race theory within classroom instruction and curricula,” the NASB said in its letter.

The Pennsylvania School Board Association noted it was pulling out of the national body after the letter became public.

State boards in Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire have left as well.

The NASB issued an apology after a further 23 state boards also expressed concern.

“On behalf of the NASB, we regret and apologize for the letter. To be clear, the safety of school board members, other public school officials and educators, and students is our top priority, and there remains important work to be done on this issue,” the letter reads. “We apologize also for the strain and stress this situation has caused you and your organizations.”

However, the damage appears to be done and is only getting worse as more details have emerged.

Emails from the NASB to the DOJ prior to the letter indicate Garland’s team assisted in drafting the letter weeks before it was deployed.

Garland is also facing criticism for not disclosing his relationship with Alexander “Xan” Newman, co-founder of Panorama Education, who is married to his daughter Rebecca Garland. 

Panorama focuses on “social-emotional learning” which critics have said elevates leftists sentiment in the school environment. The group supports critical race theory.

Over the last three years PSD202 in Plainfield spent $142,000 on Panorama surveys.

Parents and students have been protesting in Lyons Township where student leaders have reported harassment of conservative students. 

Anti-mask protesters, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Gary Rabine, appeared at the school’s protest.

“IL SBA issued a note of condemnation. Keep the pressure on your local school board to pressure the state association to follow the 5 states that have terminated their membership,” AM 560’s Morning Answer host Dan Proft posted on Twitter.