Biden education secretary likens concerned parents to 'people that are misbehaving in public'

WASHINGTON (CITC) — The Biden administration's top education official appeared to take a jab at concerned parents Wednesday, sparking outrage from parental rights advocates.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona discussed the current state of public schools with The Associated Press Wednesday. He said that throughout his career, he has "never seen" education "where it is now."

"There was civility. We could disagree," he said, referencing the beginning of his career. "We could have healthy conversations around what's best for kids."

Cardona then made a reference to those who have raised concerns over content in public schools.

"I respect differences of opinion. I don't have too much respect for people that are misbehaving in public and then acting as if they know what's right for kids," he said.

Erika Sanzi, the Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education (PDE), argued that Cardona "seems to think civility only flows in one direction."

"One minute Cardona is saying parents are essential partners for schools and then, in the next breath, he's characterizing frustrated and angry parents as misbehaving know nothings," Sanzi told Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) in a statement. "Meanwhile, he is silent about school boards dismissing parents' concerns, calling parents names, cutting off mics during public meetings, and even keeping parents out of public meetings."

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PDE Vice President Caroline Moore agreed, calling Cardona's remarks "unfathomable."

"This is once again an instance of this administration taking a hardline stance against parental rights and the role parents have in advocating for their minor children," Moore told CITC in a statement.

Concerned public school parents have previously faced scrutiny from the Biden administration, particularly those speaking up at school board meetings.In October 2021, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum directing federal law enforcement to address "a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators" at such meetings nationwide.

Garland's directive followed a since-retracted National School Boards Association letter describing parents' actions as "domestic terrorism and hate crimes."

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House Republicans determined earlier this year that Garland had "no legitimate basis" to request that parents be investigated. In July,House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, claimed the Biden administration has failed to produce all relevant documents related to a subpoena for information on the directive.

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing the same month, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the agency, to his knowledge,"has not opened investigations on any parent for exercising speech at school."

In June, several parental rights groups were added to the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) "Hate Map," including PDE. The map contains more than 1,200 organizations SPLC deems to be "antigovernment extremist groups" promoting "hate."

The map also features the Ku Klux Klan and numerous neo-Nazi groups.

READ MORE | Parents' rights orgs labeled 'hate' and 'extremist' groups by Southern Poverty Law Center

Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) reached out to the U.S. Department of Education for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. This story will be updated if a response is received.