50 signatures reached
To: Glenn Youngkin
Tell Glenn Youngkin to denounce threats against educators and school board members
All over Virginia, we are witnessing threats, intimidation and harassment directed at school board members, parents, students, educators, and school staff. Virginia parents are receiving an onslaught of targeted social media messages and ads paid for by secret right-wing groups with national funding. They are misleading parents, spreading misinformation to divide and encouraging violent tactics leading to dangerous encounters at town meetings and schools.
Will you stand with Virgina’s educators and parents and condemn the efforts of shadowy dark money groups creating chaos and conflict in our communities?
Why is this important?
Across the country school board members, teachers, school staff, and parents calling for COVID safety measures have been harassed, threatened, and in some instances even attacked. Fox News and other right-wing outlets amplify outrageous examples of adults screaming, threatening and harassing school board members with barely contained glee. And Republican leaders like former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley have refused to denounce the violence, even when directly asked.
All eyes are on Virginia right now. Voters deserve to know where Virginia’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin stands. Will Youngkin side with the political operatives fanning the flames of conflict and violence in our communities, or will he denounce those funding chaos and harassment of our public servants? Dissent and protests are an important part of our democracy, but coordinated attacks, doxxing, and harassment of school board members – many of whom are parents and educators in our communities – have nothing to do with the first amendment.
School board members around the United States have documented threats and intimidation. School board meetings have been shut down by violence. Educators have been harassed and attacked in the classroom by parents mad about district policies. And both parents and students who have spoken up for COVID-19 safety protocols have been aggressively shouted down and intimidated. None of this is acceptable.
Glenn Youngkin wants to be taken seriously as a leader. Well, this is his opportunity. Is he going to stand with Sen. Josh Hawley and Chris Christie and ignore threats and violence? Or will he stand up and denounce the violent protests at school board meetings and tell the groups organizing them to stop?