Moms For Liberty in Brevard
Moms For Liberty:
“Moms for Liberty” was founded in 2021 and is controlled by Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice, two Florida Republican activists and former school board members defeated for re-election after their attacks on the schools they were elected to support. The behavior of members of the organization is characterized by bitter attacks on public schools and a strong hostility to any educational content that does not carry out their ultra-conservative views. The group claims to have 135 chapters in 35 states with 56,000 members. The organization has county-specific chapters across the country that target local school board meetings, school board members, administrators, and teachers. The group advocates stripping districts of protective COVID-19 measures and modifying classroom curriculum to exclude the teaching of (among other things) sex education and what the organization calls “critical race theory.” (What “Moms for Liberty” describe as “Critical Race Theory” is simply the teaching of American history which describes our nation’s achievements and its flaws.) Although “Moms for Liberty” claims to oppose “indoctrination” in the public schools, that is precisely what the organization proposes by demanding that school curricula reflect their ultra-conservative religious and ideological views.
Political Affiliation:
“Moms for Liberty” is essentially an arm of the Republican Party. Republican activists in Florida organized the group and it is heavily supported by Republican politicians and donors. Its’ main national political goal is to support the candidacy of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who has embraced and encouraged the expansion of the organization. Christian Ziegler, vice chairman of the Florida Republican Party is the husband of Bridget Zeigler, one of the three original founders of “Moms for Liberty”. “I’ve been trying for a dozen years to get 20-and 30-year-old females involved with the Republican Party. . . ,” he told fellow Republicans, “But now “Moms for Liberty” has done it for me.”
Harassment:
Stories in a variety of news sources have described the involvement of “Moms for Liberty” members in the harassment of teachers, educational administrators and elected school board members. Jennifer Jenkins, the Florida County School Board member who unseated “Moms for Liberty” co-founder Tina Descovich in a heavily Republican County, learned just how vicious it could be. Florida Republican State representative Randy Fine, a donor of “Moms for Liberty” posted Jenkins private cell phone number on Facebook and told his supporter to call Jenkins RIGHT NOW.” They did more than call, leaving messages like “you’re a pedophile” and threats: “We’re coming at you like a freight train! We are going to make you beg for mercy. If you thought January 6 was bad, wait until you see what we have for you!” An unknown individual filed a claim charging that Jenkins had engaged in child abuse, an accusation that was investigated and found “totally without merit.” Other school board members and teachers have been abused and attacked across the nation.
Leaders of the organization insist they do not support such harassment but the actions of co-founder Tina Justice are not reassuring. Early this year, she charged into the Beachland, Florida school where her son was a 5th grader, entering his classroom and disrupting the teacher’s presentation (a three-time “best teacher of the year” winner). She became so disruptive in attacking teachers and staff that David Moore, the county school superintendent was called. After a heated confrontation with Mrs. Justice, Moore informed her that any further violation of visiting procedures or further abusive behavior toward teachers and staff on her part would lead to a court order forbidding her from entering the school campus.
A recent national survey documents a crisis in teacher shortages because of increased resignations from teachers who are beleaguered, overworked, underpaid and treated disrespectfully by groups like “Moms for Liberty.” The last thing we need in Transylvania County is an organization that harasses and seeks to intimidate dedicated individuals who have devoted their lives to the highest calling: the care, nurture and education of our children.
Note: The information above is documented in the following media reports:
