TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by parents who were targeted in a recent memo from Attorney General Merrick Garland that attempted to silence parents who speak out to protect their children. The memo was issued following a letter from the National School Board Association to President Biden, which likened parents who oppose the masking of kindergartners and teaching critical race theory in public schools to “domestic terrorists.” On October 11, the Florida School Board Association issued a response to the National School Boards Association, voicing their concerns with the memo and urging the National Association to acknowledge their request is federal overreach. Also joining the Governor were members of local law enforcement and state attorneys who are capable of assessing threats in their community without meddling by federal bureaucrats.

“The Federal Government would have you believe that parents who care about their children’s upbringing are a menace to society; in Florida we won’t allow it,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Debate is welcome in the state of Florida and should be welcome anywhere in the United States. If that debate turns into anything that’s not peaceful, then we have the best law enforcement in the nation to handle it. We don’t need the federal government investigating and intimidating parents in an attempt to squelch dissent. Today, I was proud to support the parents who won’t be silenced by the Biden Administration’s threats.”

“The White House’s attempt to silence and intimidate parents who are outspoken about critical race theory indoctrinating our children is simply un-American,” said Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “Governor DeSantis and I will continue to stand up for the rights and liberties of Floridians and push back against Biden’s egregious federal overreach.”

“I stand with Governor DeSantis against the Biden Administration’s blatant federal overreach,” said Public Safety Czar Larry Keefe. “We should be encouraging parental engagement in a child’s education, not weaponizing the federal government to implore intimidation tactics to prevent it. When laws are broken, local law enforcement is equipped to ensure the safety of public officials, and they don’t need federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., to tell them how to do their job.”

“The Biden Administration’s attempt to trample all over the First Amendment rights of concerned parents and create a chilling effect on free speech is un-American,” said Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran. “It is not the place of any government to pick winners and losers amongst those who voice their opinions. In Florida, we will fight for every parent and we will fight for every child and will not allow the federal government to steer public discourse through fear and intimidation.”

“Our children do not belong to the federal government nor to the school boards, they belong to their parents,” said Senator Debbie Mayfield. “Parents have every right to be involved in their child’s education and should not be silenced by the federal government. I want to thank Governor DeSantis for continuing to fight for Florida’s parents and children.”

To watch the full press conference, click here.

Parents have the right to be involved in their child’s education and concerned parents from across the country have taken advantage of their first amendment right to free speech and have expressed their opposition to the radical agendas pursued by some school boards. The memo issued by the Attorney General Merrick Garland aims to silence those concerned parents and effectively chill expression of free speech.

In Florida, Governor DeSantis has stood up for parents by protecting their freedom to make health care decisions for their families, banning critical race theory in Florida, and protecting women’s sports.

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