NSBA head knew about DOJ's plans to target parents in memo 'before they were published'

A new report on Monday alleges that the National School Boards Association CEO knew ahead of time about Attorney General Merrick Garland's controversial "school boards" memo, before it was published last year.

Even fellow board members seemed to be out of the loop beforehand.

The story that debuted on Fox News credited pro-parents group Parents Defending Education for filing a public records request for the findings.

The email exchange that happened on Oct. 5, 2021, was between NSBA southern regional director Pam Doyle and NSBA Board of Directors member Beverly Slough. In it, the NSBA's interim executive director Chip Slaven was referenced.

"I understand Chip knew about the U.S. AG directives before they were published. So much for communicating with the BOD," Doyle's early October email says in reference to how the NSBA's Board of Directors were allegedly kept out of the loop about the situation ahead of time.

The Garland memo, which mobilized the FBI at the ready against angry parents fed up with their local school boards over COVID-19 restrictions and critical race theory teachings in K-12 schools, was made public on Oct. 4, 2021.

The letter followed the NSBA likening concerned parents to domestic terrorists.

Parents Defending Education president Nicole Neilly told Fox News:

"The American people deserve the truth about this issue immediately. It is appalling that the Department of Justice and Education Department have continued to stonewall on this scandal, ignoring pleas not only from the very people they are supposed to represent but also from the elected officials to whom they report. It's little wonder that trust in government is at a historic low point."

In response to the story, NSBA's newest executive director Dr. John Helm said an
"independent comprehensive review" about how the September 2021 letter first came to be was being launched. Helm emphasized that the organization has since apologized for sending the "wrong message" last year.

The backlash from the NSBA debacle led several states to distance themselves from the organization at the federal level. The latest was Minnesota.

According to Corey DeAngelis, national director of research for the American Federation for Children, 28 state school boards associations have "at least distanced themselves" from the National School Boards Association, with 19 of them making a complete cutoff.

The latest in the NSBA saga comes after it was reported that Education Secretary Migues Cardona solicited the National School Boards Association's letter, which was what Garland said was the catalyst for the October memo in the first place.