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2024-09-15 02:44:39 UTC
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PermalinkLabel Parental Rights Groups As "Extremists"?
Moms for Liberty is a far-right organization that engages in anti-student
inclusion activities and self-identifies as part of the modern parental
rights movement. The group grew out of opposition to public health
regulations for COVID-19, opposes LGBTQ+ and racially inclusive school
curriculum, and has advocated books bans.
Moms for Liberty
Extremist Group Info:
Date Founded
2021
Location
Brevard County, Florida with chapters across the U.S.
Ideology
Antigovernment General
Moms for Liberty is an antigovernment organization founded in 2021 by
former Florida school board members, Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich.
Current Sarasota County, Florida school board member, Bridget Ziegler,
was
also a co-founder. She has since left the group, leaving Justice and
Descovich at the helm.
Moms for Liberty and its nationwide chapters combat what they consider
the
woke indoctrination of children by advocating for book bans in school
libraries and endorsing candidates for public office that align with the
group's views. They also use their multiple social media platforms to
target teachers and school officials, advocate for the abolition of the
Department of Education, advance a conspiracy propaganda, and spread
hateful imagery and rhetoric against the LGBTQ community. In Their Own
Words
The K-12 Cartel - also known as the National Teachers Union (NEA) - met
and drafted a proposal to replace the word Mother with Birthing
Person. This is insane and insulting to every mom in America. But dont
worry, relief is coming ... Because as the Teachers Union pushes an
agenda
focused on everything BUT educating our children, American Parents are
rising up, taking back our school districts and putting the focus back on
educating our children. To be clear - You will not be seeing Moms for
Liberty rebranded as Birthing Persons for Liberty anytime soon.
Tiffany Justice, Moms for Liberty on Fox News on July 7, 2022
Gender dysphoria is a mental health disorder that is being normalized by
predators across the USA. California kids are at extreme risk from
predatory adults. Now they want to liberate children all over the
country. Does a double mastectomy on a preteen sound like progress?
Tweet from Moms for Liberty on July 25, 2022, tweet regarding California
SB 107 gender transition bill that got their account suspended.
If I had any mental issues, they would have been plowed down with a gun
by now.&rdqduo; Melissa Missy Bosch (Lonoke County, AR Chapter) was
indicted for terroristic threatening towards the faculty and staff of
Cabot School district. She was recorded musing about gunning down a
school
librarian.
The children are confused ... because of these insane agendas that are
being shoved down their throats Even the shooter what, an 18-year-old
transgender boy trying to be a girl? Eulalia Jimenez (chair of Moms
for
Liberty, Miami Chapter) spreading disinformation about the Uvalde, Texas,
shooter
Weve got $500 for the person that first successfully catches a public
school teacher breaking this law. Student, parents, teachers, school
staff
We want to know! We pledge anonymity if you want. Tweeted by Moms
for
Liberty NH on November 12, 2021, regarding the law banning the teaching
of
CRT and retweeted by national Moms for Liberty.
Is this an example of Munchausen syndrome by proxy?
Comment and retweet by main Moms for Liberty account; Tiffany Justice
Tweet (Moms for Liberty Cofounder) re: a mother discussing her 4-year-old
exploring his gender.
My line in the sand is calling a singular human they/them. Go ahead
and
call me mean names. I can take it. Retweeted by main Moms for Liberty
account; Tweet by Tina Descovich (Moms for Liberty Cofounder) regarding
pronouns in the workplace.
I raise my children. The government does not. We do not co-parent with
the government. And there are certain sensitive subjects that we would
like to be directing the conversation around for our children Parents
are very concerned about this idea about gender identity that was never
discussed in our public schools, and it is now taking a front row seat in
our childrens education. And it is affecting everything they do,
including for many of our girls, how safe they feel in the bathrooms at
their school. Tiffany Justice in C-SPAN2 About Books interview
Due to threats from the left, we made the decision to move all future
Moms for Liberty meetings to DCF Guns East upstairs conf room. It is
safe,
impenetrable by protestors or otherwise. Now WE have a #safespace as the
libs call it. Thank you to DCF. See you this Tues @ DCF 5:30P. Tweet
from Darcy Schoening, Chair of Moms for Liberty El Paso County, CO
commenting on moving Mom of Liberty meeting to the gun range is co-owned
by Joe Oltmann.
The kids that do have their, you know, theyre confused, or they are gay
or whatnot that the way theyre trying to go about it is to make it an
open conversation and an open thing in classrooms But like for example
children with autism, Down Syndrome, they have to have special IP
meetings
with a counselor, they have to be put into separate classrooms. I
understand, because its a different type of education for children with
those disabilities, but I think that for children that identify
differently, there should also be like a specialized something for
them,
so that they feel that theyre important enough that theyre being
counseled I think for the same reason why teachers wouldnt just bring a
child with autism in front of the class and be like, hey, hes got
autism.
Embarrassment Crystal Alonso (member of Moms for Liberty, Miami-Dade
County, FL) discussing the need for special classes for LGBTQ students
Background
Moms for Liberty is an anti-student inclusion group that presents itself
as a modern parents rights organization that seeks to unify, educate,
and empower parents to defend and protect their parental rights at every
level of government. The groups website appears to align with this
mission, featuring general information about the organization and its
chapters, resources for parents, and links to press skewed in the groups
favor. The social media accounts and real-world activity of the national
organization and its chapters reflect views and actions that are
antigovernment and conspiracy propagandist, anti-LGBTQ and anti-gender
identity, and anti-inclusive curriculum.
According to Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice, when COVID-19
swept the nation and public-school children were homeschooled for an
extensive period of time, the country got to see behind the education
curtain and were not pleased. However, when parents went to their school
boards to voice concerns, they were shut down and silenced.
Moms for Liberty was originally established to combat what it considered
controversial COVID-19 safety measures in schools, mostly centered around
masking. From there, it quickly expanded its focus to include an extreme
stance on what it considers the indoctrination and sexualization of
children through gender identity, the acknowledgement and acceptance of
the LGBTQ community, as well as inclusive school pedagogy and curricula,
including critical race theory, social emotional learning, and books that
the organization deems inappropriate. Spreading Like Hellfire
In January 2021, Moms for Liberty made its national debut on the Rush
Limbaugh show. By the end of the next month, the organization had five
chapters in Florida and had garnered attention from Breitbart and Tucker
Carlson Tonight.
According to Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich, the organization
was established with the intention to remain within Florida. However, two
weeks after launching the initial chapters, a mother from Nassau County,
New York reached out interested in starting a chapter where she lived.
Descovich recalls co-founder Tiffany Justice saying to her, Tina, this
movement doesnt belong to us. We cant control it. We cant contain it.
All we can do is help.
The chapters, which are structured by county, have since grown rapidly
nationwide. Within two years of the organization's founding, it
self-reports a membership of approximately 110,000 in over 250 chapters
in
42 states.
Between June 2021 and January 2022, Moms for Liberty hosted high-priced
fundraisers that featured former FOX News anchor Megyn Kelly and
musicians
Larry Gatlin and John Rich.
In July 2022, Moms for Liberty held its first national summit in Tampa,
Florida. Speakers included Dr. Ben Carson, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and
his wife and Betsy DeVos, former US Secretary of Education.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Dr. James Lindsay , and KrisAnne Hall,
among many others. Marriott International, which openly supports the
LGBTQ
community and its causes, received criticism for hosting the summit
because of Moms for Libertys openly anti-LGBTQ stance, as well as those
of the speakers included on the program, including Ron DeSantis, who had
recently signed Floridas Dont Say Gay bill into law, which the group
publicly lobbied in favor of.
Although ticket prices for the fundraisers ranged from $50 to $20,000 and
the highest sponsorship package of the sold-out summit was $50,000, when
asked about how the organization is funded, the group claimed that t-
shirt
sales were its "biggest source of funding."
Since its inception, the group has encouraged its chapters and members to
become watchdogs and gain positions in local school districts, usually by
seeking open school board seats, in order to stop what it describes as
school districts disregarding the opinions of parents and abdicating
their authority to bureaucrats, to medical committees, to Departments of
Health to other people where the decision making really did lie with the
school board local control.
To aid in this goal, the group has hosted online and in-person school
board trainings in partnership with the Leadership Institute.
Additionally, during the national summit in 2022, a special session was
offered on how to build and run a school board campaign.
In December 2021, Moms for Liberty created a political action committee,
which received a contribution of $50,000 from Julie Fancelli, heiress to
the Publix grocery stores. This donation contributed significantly to the
organization's ability to help fund 2022 school board campaigns,
according
to a co-founder who spoke to Politico.
In 2022, Moms for Liberty endorsed over 500 school board candidates
across
the country. Of this, 76% were first-time candidates. This activity was
part was the organizations stated goal to have a foothold in all 13,000
school districts in the United States. Fighting Indoctrination with
Indoctrination
In its efforts to combat anything that it considers woke ideology, Moms
for Liberty commonly propagates conspiracy theories about public schools
attempting to indoctrinate and sexualize children with a progressive
Marxist curriculum.
As self-anointed joyful warriors, Moms for Liberty has adopted the
slogan, we do not co-parent with the government, which adorns their
lawn
signs and merchandise sold on the website.
Despite the background of its founding members serving on various boards
of education, Moms for Liberty has taken a stance that is firmly
anti-public school.
Tiffany Justice explained in an interview that because public schools are
funded by the government, they are government schools. So, if you don't
go to private school, youre going to a government school. And then you
have these employees who have to have a state certificate working at
these
government schools or government employees.
Throughout its existence, Moms for Liberty has also waged war on
teachers
unions, referring to them as a terrorist organization and criticizing
their stances and influence in public schools. In the past, a number of
Moms for Liberty chapters saw their Facebook pages flagged for community
violation, which prohibit accounts from posting basic information about
local government operations such as school board meetings, or questions
about student textbooks. The group subsequently appealed with an open
letter to Facebooks founder, Mark Zuckerburg, asking him not to side
with
the National Education Association who were seeking to label concerned
parents as domestic terrorists.
Perhaps most importantly of note in their war against public schools and
those who support them is Moms for Libertys fight to have the Department
of Education eliminated. Advocacy for abolishing the Department of
Education has been a common cause of antigovernment organizations, from
the John Birch Society to the Constitution Party. Former U.S. Department
of Education Secretary Betsey DeVos was a featured speaker at the first
Moms for Liberty Summit, where she stated, I personally think that the
Department of Education should not exist. A still of this was posted to
the organizations website as a teaser to invite followers to view
further
content from the Summit.
Speaking at the Family Research Councils 2021 Pray Vote Stand Summit,
Moms for Liberty spokesperson, Quisha King, called for a "mass exodus
from public schools. The sentiments came during a panel discussion
entitled "Fighting Indoctrination on a National Scale." Attacks on the
LGBTQ Community
Moms for Libertys attack on the LGBTQ community and their rights has
been
particularly focused on gender identity and the use of pronouns in
schools, the transgender community and gender affirming care, and the
proposed changes to Title IX, which would expand rights to the LGBTQ
community.
As close followers and promoters of speaker Dr. James Lindsay, the group
also elevates the term groomer, referring to a person who builds a
relationship with a child to sexualize them. A critical race theory-
critic
and favorite of the organization, Lindsay has appeared at events and is
often shared by the groups members and officials. Lindsay also pushes
theories regarding the ways that Marxists indoctrinate children. Lindsay,
an admitted Christian nationalist, was made famous for coining the term
ok groomer, which subsequently led to a lifetime Twitter ban in August
2022. Moms for Liberty adopted the term groomer, employing it in
posts. However, once the social media platform outlawed the use of term
in
July 2022, the group expressed its displeasure, posting a video of
Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey on the groups national website. In
the video, entitled The Lefts Dont Say Groomer Policy, the host
says, Twitter and Reddit are censoring the word groomer to describe
adults who talk to children about gender switching and sexuality. What
else are we supposed to call them?
Moms for Liberty Miami-Dade County member, Crystal Alonso also suggested
moving LGBTQ students to separate classrooms, comparing them to students
with special needs, saying, for example children with autism, Down
Syndrome, they have to have special IP meetings with a counselor, they
have to be put into separate classrooms. I understand, because its a
different type of education for children with those disabilities, but I
think that for children that identify differently, there should also be
like a specialized something for them, so that they feel that theyre
important enough that theyre being counseled.
Moms for Libertys stance against gender identity and LGBTQ rights has
continuously increased and begun to expand outside of its original
public-school focus. The organization has posted resources and done
numerous interviews discussing its extreme aversion to gender identity.
Its social media pages feature an increasing number of posts surrounding
this topic. In July 2022, the organizations Twitter account was
temporarily suspended for violating the social media platforms rule
against hateful conduct. The post about Californias gender transition
bill read:
Gender dysphoria is a mental health disorder that is being normalized by
predators across the USA. California kids are at extreme risk from
predatory adults. Now they want to liberate children all over the
country. Does a double mastectomy on a preteen sound like progress?
The organization has openly expressed opposition to the current
administration's proposed changes to Title IX, which would provide more
rights and accessibilities to the LGBTQ community. Specific grievances
include biological males being allowed to play in girls sports,
restrooms
not being based on biological sex, and students and teachers being
punished for sexual harassment if they use the incorrect pronoun. Moms
for
Liberty has encouraged members and social media followers to submit
public
comments to the government page.
Moms for Liberty has also set its sights on the community at large,
waging
war on companies that are LGBTQ-friendly and supporting anti-LGBTQ
legislation. In Florida, for instance, where Disney spoke out publicly
against the governors Don't Say Gay bill, Moms for Liberty co-founder,
Tiffany Justice said that stated that she would boycott the company,
saying, it seems Disney is OK with sexualizing our children.
Moms for Liberty Yellowstone County chapter, along with MassResistance
and
other anti-LGBTQ groups, supported Montana House Bill 359, also known as
Prohibit minors from attending drag shows.
In July 2022, Moms for Liberty was temporarily banned from Twitter for
speaking out against California SB107, focusing on gender-affirming
health
care. The group expressed that gender dysphoria was a mental health
disorder and gender transition was being normalized by predators. Moms
for
Liberty went on to join groups such as in writing to California governor,
Gavin Newsome, indicating their concerns with the bill, stating that it
violated parental rights and made California akin to the Pied Piper,
enticing minor children nationwide to leave their families and run away
in
pursuit of harmful drugs and sterilizing surgeries. Anti-Inclusive
Curriculum
In addition to fighting mask and COVID mandates, opposition to inclusive
curriculum is at the core of Moms for Liberty's infrastructure. Their
attack on critical race theory and social emotion learning has put them
in
the spotlight at school board meetings across the country.
Moms for Liberty has been a strong proponent in the push to keep new
equity and inclusion from entering public schools and remove any existing
opportunities. The group has also been strong supporters of the wave of
anti-CRT bills sweeping the country and key actors in the sharp increase
in book bans occurring in schools and libraries.
Moms for Liberty leaders and members often share and quote some of the
most controversial figures in the fight against critical race theory,
including the Manhattan Institute's Chris Rufo, who is often credited
with
inciting the right's panic over CRT.
Moms for Liberty's firm stance on what it deems critical race theory in
school curriculum, has led many of its chapters to file complaints
against
anti-CRT bills and also ban books that they believe sexualize children
and
contain CRT material.
In 2021, a Tennessee chapter of Moms for Liberty was the first to file a
complaint under the states new anti-CRT bill. The chapter took issue
with
a book by Ruby Bridges on her experiences integrating a school and also
one on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which they called, Anti-American,
Anti-White, and Anti-Mexican. In their opinion, these books focused too
much on the negatives of history and would prefer that their childrens
schools have books that focus on heroes like Clarence Thomas, Morgan
Freeman, and Condoleezza Rice. The chapter specifically took issue with
Bridges recollections of a White mob yelling at her on her way to school
and pictures of firemen hosing Black children in the MLK March on
Washington.
Instead, Moms for Liberty recommended using The Making of America to
teach
history. This 1985 book by conspiracy theorist and John Birch Society
supporter W. Cleon Skousen portrays slave owners as the "worst victims of
slavery" and claims that although the Founders wanted to free slaves,
most
slaves were unprepared for lives of freedom.
When an anti-CRT bill went into place in New Hampshire, the Moms for
Liberty chapter there announced a reward of $500 if someone could catch a
teacher breaking the law. The Tweet announcing this was retweeted by the
national organization.
Moms for Liberty has been at the forefront of the battle for book bans,
which often includes labeling teachers and librarians who have books
deemed inappropriate as groomers and also reading excerpts of books aloud
without context at school board meetings to raise alarm in other parents.
In an extreme case, a Lonoke County, an AR chapter Moms for Liberty
member
was recorded during a meeting saying about a local school library, Im
telling you, if I had any mental issues, they would all be plowed down by
a freaking gun right now. She was subsequently banned from school
grounds. Dangerous Liaisons
In addition to falling in line with James Lindsays groomer rhetoric and
Chris Rufo's CRT attacks, Moms for Liberty has not only developed but
leveraged its close political alliances and ties to extremist groups to
broaden its reach and spread its messages of anti-inclusion and hate.
This has been done in tandem with an effort to publicly rebrand the
organization and appeal to a less radical audience. Although the group
got
its start on some of the most right-wing media outlets, it has since
removed these press releases and appearances from its website, including
the Glenn Beck Program, Breitbart, and the Rush Limbaugh Show.
Within Moms for Liberty's web of political allies are a number of
connections to antigovernment groups, White nationalists, election
deniers, and participants in January 6th events.
Moms for Liberty has been publicly supported by several conservative
groups and politicians, including FL Gov. Ron DeSantis, who officially
endorsed several of the organizations members running for school board
positions in Florida unprecedented in the state's non-partisan school
board elections. He also publicly commented on the groups suspension
from
PayPal, stating that he planned to crack down on woke banking.
The political action committee that allowed Moms for Liberty to support
so
many candidates during the 2022 midterm election cycle was mostly funded
by a $50,000 gift from Publix grocery store heiress, Julie Fancelli, who
also financed one of the rallies leading up to the January 6th storming
of
the Capitol Complex.
Alexis Speigelman, Moms for Libertys legislative chair and chair of the
Sarasota County chapter, was among Stop the Steal organizer, Roger
Stone's allies who planned a caravan to Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scotts
house with the goal of demanding that he challenge President Bidens
presidential victory.
An even deeper connection is Bridget Ziegler and her husband, Christian,
vice-chair of the Florida Republican party. Christian was at January 6th
events but claimed that he was so far away that he only saw people waving
flags. He never saw anyone entering the Capitol or breaking stuff.
In 2021, Christian told the Washington Post that he felt an alliance with
Moms for Liberty would be crucial to Gov. DeSantis re-election campaign,
saying, I have been trying for a dozen years to get 20- and 30-year-old
females involved with the Republican Party, and it was a heavy lift to
get
that demographic. But now Moms for Liberty has done it for me. Although
Bridget Ziegler has officially left Moms for Liberty, she also still has
ties to the group, having been a featured speaker at their national
summit. She also helped develop DeSantis Dont Say Gay bill that Moms
for Liberty publicly advocated in favor of.
The national organization and individual chapters have ties with groups
that SPLC has designated as hate or extremist.
One of the most notable connections is the association with several
chapters with the Proud Boys, a White nationalist group. Pictures have
circulated across social media of Moms for Liberty leaders and members
posing with Proud Boys in their full regalia.
Bridget Ziegler was recently elected to the Sarasota County school board
a victory due in part to local Proud Boys, who she was pictured
celebrating with afterwards. She later attempted to downplay the
connection.
Moms for Liberty also teamed up with the controversial group, Gays
Against
Groomers, to host an anti-LGBTQ Protect the Children rally in Florida,
which also included Proud Boys flashing White power signs.
Some areas of Illinois have exhibited an intersectionality with hate
groups. Shannon Adcock, chair of Moms for Liberty DuPage County also
leads
Awake Illinois, a group that shares many of Moms for Libertys views on
anti-LGBTQ. Under her guidance, the two groups have collaborated on a
number of efforts, including a Pro-Child Stand Up rally against gender
ideology and gender affirming care that featured James Lindsay, U.S. Rep.
Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany
Justice. The two groups have also teamed up with local Proud Boys to host
anti- LGBTQ programs.
Some Moms for Liberty members have turned to law enforcement for support,
specifically members of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers
Association (CSPOA). Some Moms for Liberty member have called on the
sheriffs, claiming sex crimes, further feeding their narrative of
children being sexualized and also pushing into the area of QAnon
conspiracies of children being groomed by progressives.
When Jennifer Pippin, chair of the Indian River County, Florida chapter
of
Moms for Liberty, discovered that books flagged as inappropriate their
group members were still in the local schools library, she filed a
criminal complaint with the local sheriff, who began an investigation.
Sheriffs in other Florida counties have started similar investigations as
well, with Gov. DeSantis' blessing.
As members of CSPOA and Moms for Liberty find themselves aligning on
issues such as mask and vaccine mandates and election fraud conspiracies,
they further develop alliances to help one another. As sheriffs begin to
launch criminal investigations on behalf of Moms for Liberty, many
sheriffs running for office are asking Moms for Liberty chapters to
campaign for them.
Moms for Liberty witnessed virtual overnight success due in part to its
affiliations with right-wing media, politicians, and extremist groups
alike. Now pegged as the sweethearts of the parental rights movement, the
group's dangerous reach into education and politics can be seen across
the
country in its 250+ chapters. According to co-founder, Tiffany Justice,
there are a little over 3,000 counties in the United States and we hope
to have a chapter in every county.
The Indian River County chapter furthered its antigovernment interests,
supporting county officials decision to make it a second amendment
sanctuary, citing the Constitution as justification. By adopting this
designation, Indian River County prohibits gun control measures, mostly
on
the rationale that they would infringe on second amendment rights
