A strange phenomenon began when schools started reopening following a year of school lockdowns and a summer break after COVID-19 first changed the lives of everyone, including everyone in the United States. School board meetings became standing room only events with people shouting at school board officials, administrators, and teachers, people convinced that COVID-19 is a hoax, that masks do nothing to prevent infection and are nothing more than a form of child abuse, and that vaccines are some form of government conspiracy.
Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered the FBI to meet with U.S. Attorneys around the country to open up lines of communication about threats against school administrators, board members, teachers and staff. pic.twitter.com/2gIMKnQfO4
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) October 4, 2021
Some of those instigators have gone so far as to harass and intimidate officials as they walk back and forth to their vehicles and even at their homes, threatening violence and intimidating officials for instituting mask mandates and vaccine mandates for school staff. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued an edict to the FBI to begin working with officials to understand the terrorism that is preventing school officials from feeling safe while doing their jobs.
‘In recent months, there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administration, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools. While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views.
The COVID denial and anti-mask/anti-vaxxers have taken their grievances entirely too far when they disrupt the lives of officials tasked with doing their job to protect students and staff members. AG Garland insisted that the DOJ and the FBI should be taking these threats seriously.
‘The Department takes these incidents seriously and is committed to using its authority and resources to discourage these threats, identify them when they occur, and prosecute them when appropriate. In the coming days, the Department will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.’
Twitter was divided between agreeing with Garland that the threats should be taken seriously and doubting that much would be done to stop it. Read some of their comments below:
